There would be more deaths among the homeless if organisations like Gloucester City Mission didn’t exist, according to charity manager Kevin Howie.
Gloucester City Mission has been supporting the homeless, those living in temporary accommodation and sofa surfers since 2003 and continues to grow. The charity relies purely on donations and offers food, drinks, clothes, toiletries and advice to people when they are at their lowest point.
Now the charity also offers the Revive Coffee House in the Eastgate Shopping Centre. A previous Christmas drop off point, the spacious and warm café employs former homeless people. City Mission runs courses in music and art therapy and the café is open to the public from Wednesdays to Saturdays for delicious homemade cakes and hot and cold drinks to support their work.
Manager Kevin is pleased with the growth of the charity and the response to Revive. He said, ‘We get lots of regulars and it’s a friendly and warm place. All the money we raise goes back to the charity. We work directly with 80 clients a week with our outreach team of volunteers and clients can come for clothes, tents and other needs.’
Former headteacher, Kevin believes that more awareness is needed about homelessness, he said, ‘Rough sleeping is currently up with the evictions ban lifted. There have also been breakdowns in relationships after lockdown with a lot of young people leaving home. There are people with mental health issues or those who have been in prison or suffered from abuse, 84% of our clients have had severe trauma. There would be more deaths on the streets if organisations like us didn’t exist.’
Gloucester City Mission works with partners including Gloucester City Council and the NHS for support and to get clients into rehabilitation. Kevin said, ‘It’s very complex and people have often spiralled into a situation, but the best thing you can do if you see a homeless person is to give them a smile and a thumbs up: it’s basic humanity. These people all have a story to tell and many have a journey with us that has a positive ending because they trust us.’
The charity accepts donations and you can now buy ‘BillyChips’ – These are chips you can give to rough sleepers and homeless people as an alternative to cash. They can be redeemed in coffee shops and takeaways for food and drink. If you would like to find out more about City Mission or BillyChip see links below:
https://www.gloscitymission.org.uk/revive-coffee-house
https://www.billychip.com/
