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SPEAKING HOPE…

Until we reached this crisis, I didn’t know that places like this existed. I think this is absolutely brilliant. ‘P’

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Faithworksimpact report2018 CRISIS RELIEVED

LIFE TRANSFORMED

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Hello everyone 7700Beneficiaries

15Projects

450+Volunteers

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“Really ya’ll, it doesn’t take a village. All it takes is God’s people doing the work that God would have us do… even if it is for someone we don’t even know”

(American contact after helping an ex-Sleepsafer get help back to Atlanta)

SPEAKING HOPE…

There is always hope…Every week, one of the Faithworks team illuminates my day with a story of life-change. Today it was the story of *Jimmy, a story of: separation; police; prison and temporary housing with the “wrong sort”. He came to the Food Bank to get some food. The volunteers there were kind, friendly and helpful… so he came back and asked if he could volunteer. For Jimmy, the Food Bank is a place of community, of purpose. He’s got a job interview soon and we’re helping with his CV and preparation. His life is completely turning around - there is always hope.My homelessness colleague talks about a game of two halves. The first half of life for many may be rubbish, but the second doesn’t have to be the same. The half-time team talk is critical. That’s what this Impact Report is all about; stories of people who have got to half-time and we’ve helped them believe that there is hope.Change happens because people work together. 200 people came to celebrate at the Bournemouth Conversation, 70 helped launch Street Support, 80 came to our Food Bank celebrations, and amazingly, there were over 300 volunteers for Sleepsafe this year!So, thank you to all those who stood shoulder to shoulder with us this year; as one of my colleagues calls it – those who provide “feet, food and finance”. Thank you Hope-bringers.And in everything we are so thankful to God who is our strength when we are weak. Yours in Christ, Alistair and Ian.

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Alistair Doxat-Purser, CEO and Ian Bromilow, Chair of Trustees

fwConnect

“…When I was lost you found me… I now live with my sister until I can get my own place. I remember each and every one of you fondly and will never forget you. I thank God for what he has done for me and pray I can remain clean. Thank you one and all from the person you got to know as MickyBoy”

SPEAKING HOPE…

FW Homeless

Hope together: Pierre, an American Air Force veteran came to the UK for love. It didn’t work out and he ended up on the street hobbling on crutches. He went to the cold weather shelter run by the council (SWEP) who referred him to Sleepsafe. He’d lost his job, was not eligible for benefits, had no money and Border Force told him he had to leave the country. 45 people then became involved in various ways through providing: clothing, transport to the airport, gifts of £1000+ for his air fare, ensuring he was met at Atlanta Airport and then taken to a local veteran’s hospital. He is now safe, home and with a transformed life!

48Sleepsafe

guests in secure accommodation

129People

supported in 2018

8Attending 2nd Half Workshop

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4 projects to help people get off and stay off the street- in the crisis, Sleepsafe gives a safe place to sleep, somewhere to leave their “burden”

and a plan “to get life sorted out” - appointments at “Half-time” shop-front venue, next to the YMCA in Bournemouth:

shower, food, washed clothes and a focused chat- Buddy teams provide emotional and practical support, and advocacy once ex-rough

sleepers move in to accommodation. “A life saver” – 6 people supported so far, but more volunteers being trained.

- improved employability at our 2nd-Half training kitchen and new carpenter’s workshop – the “Homeless tree” (Christmas trees from old pallets) was a must-have present!

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Food Bank+ because we are not just helping in the crisis, but walking alongside to help prevent future crisis- Wimborne ran its first “Cooking on a Budget” course- “Reverse Advent” brought in special food items for Christmas in Blandford

and Christchurch- Poole now has 6 satellite sites across the town- Christchurch had over £11k of furniture donated- Southbourne Food Bank gained a new home

FW Food+

Hope at the Christmas table: “4 kids, husband redundant, and debts piling up – no light at the end of a very long tunnel. We delivered the ‘Surprise’ reverse advent hamper; Mum went to the kitchen and brought back a shopping list with all they would normally eat on Christmas Day. The night before they had asked their kids to choose what they could do without because money was so tight – most of the items were crossed-out. Then they looked in the hamper… every item was there. After many tears mum ticked EVERYTHING on the list and put it back on the fridge to surprise the kids. Hope was restored at Christmas… oh, and a debt free start to 2019 thanks to our money management team.”

4560Food parcels 34% increase

557Holiday hunger

parcels

40Cooking course

attendees

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“This place is epic. I have no idea what I would have done without it. Whilst waiting for my benefit payment I would have gone for 1 week with absolutely nothing”

SPEAKING HOPE…

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Faithworks CMA team work with national partner Community Money Advice to help people manage their money and find a way out of debt- the team helped over 120 clients facing debt issues with a total debt over £900,000- the team now work at 9 hubs, including a weekly drop-in at the Probation hub- CMA Connect is coming soon, enabling smaller volunteer teams to be linked to the

national Step Change charity- at least 22 clients received help from Acts435 – a crowdfunding website that has paid for

Debt Relief Orders, clothes for interviews, and items for a fresh start for a single parent

FW Money

Hope at the bank: Kate* hit postnatal depression, her marriage was ending and she was signed off work: she came to the debt advice team at Blandford with £14000 of debt, a big outstanding mortgage, and minimal benefits. She was at her wits end. So, the team set to work – a financial picture to show what was left each month, letters out to all the creditors to offer a minimal payment plan, another check to find she could claim benefits. And they renegotiated a 12 month interest-free arrangement with the mortgage company! In just 6 weeks, Kate went from not knowing where to turn, to having a debt management plan she could “own”. She felt “back in control”. Hope has returned!

£50kDebt reduction

44People free of debt burden

52Ex-offenders

probation support

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We (MacMillan unit) had special news for one client recently who was at the end stages of life – we had written to their bank asking if they could write off a debt, given the circumstances. They wrote back and said “yes”! Now the client has one less weight on their mind.

SPEAKING HOPE…

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We are now equipping churches in Dorset with great ideas from around the country, to help them to help them play their part in providing hope for people caught in addiction- existing help now mapped and our Half-time venue is being used to signpost and

support people at low risk- the Recovery Course runs in 4 church and YMCA venues – in 2019 we will be

expanding this to Southbourne, Winton and Poole- the Recovery Support Group meets weekly to build hope in family members affected - Keys Community Detox volunteers trained to “walk alongside” people as they reduce

their drug/alcohol levels to zero

FW Recovery

Hope when alone: *Peter (19) came to The Recovery Course having become gripped with addiction to internet pornography. He was shame filled and unable to look people in the eye. He explained his addiction as “a debilitating time where he felt that he was worthless and a nobody that had no hope in the future and was worth no help”. Peter started to open up about his struggles and actually look at people. After a year he became a helper in a group: you could see him changing from a timid shadow to a young man discovering his value in the community. He recently moved to London starting an acting scholarship. He has shared his story to 300 people, helping and inspiring others with hope.’

13Recovery

courses held

900Recovery course

attendees

1stFirst person

detoxed

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"I have a life of my own. I no longer feel guilty or responsible for his actions and he has been dry for 5 months now. My trust in the Lord has been strengthened"Recovery Support Group attendee

SPEAKING HOPE…

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FOCUS continues to give unpaid carers hope and help through our annual BBQ, spring and Christmas events, fortnightly coffee times and volunteer befriending programme. We also link carers with the Recovery Support Group.

FW People: FOCUS Carers

Supporting our volunteersOne carer, who was recently referred to the COAST gardening team, is only able to leave her cared-for person for up to 2 hours at a time. This leaves very little time to do the food shopping and other essential household tasks. Because COAST maintain the garden, this relieves a little of her stress and enables her to gain more time in her day: “I can’t thank you enough, it makes a massive difference to my life!!”

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This year Alix Digby-West, the founder of SMILE moved on to other creative community projects. Thank you so much Alix, for all you have done.

FW People: SMILE Lone Parent Families

Fabulous three-generational day“Usually we are working together as a family BUT separately - was a real blessing to spend time with my son and granddaughter (as well as friends) doing something we enjoy”“Me time - this doesn’t really happen in my mad house. But I had a lovely relaxing experience, no expectations, just time for me time to breathe and forget about my worries for the day. Such a calm and welcoming environment, food was also amazing and being with other deserving Mummies was good. Highly recommended."

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110Attendees to at least one event

740Meals eaten by the SMILE community

144Miles run by

the Wednesday SMILE mums

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180Carers supported

7Red Letter Days

Events

40Receiving

garden maintenance

support

FW Connect Partnerships

Hope is just a click away: www.streetsupport.net is now live with over 20 agencies showing how to find help and give help to rough sleepers. This year, we extended it to Poole and Christchurch, and set up the Change For Good giving page – the first £500 has enabled "Alan" to move to his own place and freed up a room for someone from Sleepsafe to move off the street

23Agencies

working together

70Young people in

Conversation

3105Bottles cleared

by Bournemouth Town Pastors

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“I’m hugely encouraged to hear some good news stories for once… I will encourage my PCSO’s to go along to all these groups to strengthen the links between the police and the community” (Local Chief Inspector at Poole Great Neighbourhoods Conversation)

SPEAKING HOPE…

FW Connect is all about how we link up with volunteers, partners and contacts. So to start, Thank You so much to all our partners, including:- Christian charities such as Prama and YMCA - Enabling organisations like the wonderful CVS and Bournemouth University- the Greenhouse Christian Centre for hosting so many breakfasts - all those agencies passionately working to help people off the street- fellow Food Bank teams in Bournemouth & Ringwood - the inspirers of young leaders at the Poole Youth Conversation- the Bournemouth & Poole Town Pastors who continue to be the compassionate

heartbeat of Saturdays'

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SMS text from local Lottery funding manager: “Sorry I couldn’t take your call… it’s just to let you know you’ll be receiving good news – your (major) funding bid has been approved”

SPEAKING HOPE…

FW FinancesFI

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FW Staff

48%Increase in donations

(especially online)

3 yrsNew Lottery

funding

Thank you to all those who funded Faithworks and its projects in 2018, including• Valentine Trust • Tudor Trust • The Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Charitable Foundation• RBS Skills & Opportunity Fund • Lloyds Foundation – Enable Scheme• Incorporated Bournemouth Free Church Council • The Swire Charitable Trust• Joseph Rank Trust • Awards for All (Big Lottery) • The Louis Ross Foundation • Heart of Experian Charitable Fund • Clara E Burgess Charity • Safer Dorset Fund • Souter Charitable Trust

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FINANCIAL FIGURESFor the last accounting year: April 2017 - March 2018

Income to March 2018 = £394,000 Expenditure to March 2018 = £413,000

Grants from charitable trusts (66%) Individual donations (20%)

Other (14%)

Operational costs (78%) Support costs (19%)

Fundraising (3%)

Thank you to the extraordinary people who give up their time to volunteer in our projects especially the 300+ who volunteered for Sleepsafe this year!Thank you to all who have opened up their venues to be places of Hope through Sleepsafe, Recovery courses, Debt hubs etc.Thank you to the lovely people at Winton Methodist Church for hosting Faithworks in their offices. Because of this we can expand the training we do Thank you to all the trainers who have worked with us – the British Red Cross (First Aid); local council safeguarding experts; EDAS (drug & alcohol) experts; Mental Health Lead from Dorset Healthcare

FW Volunteers & Supporters

Hope by giving back: “Volunteering has helped me give. I’ve grown in self esteem, and find I can cope with life better. My son recently passed away and during this time I found that knowing I was volunteering gave me so much strength and a focus to return to helping other people. It’s been an amazing journey and I can’t thank Faithworks enough for their support and for believing in me!”

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“the Telephone Befriending role definitely helped with employability … I secured a placement in mental health in Sri Lanka. I cannot think of any reason why anyone wouldn't do this”Student volunteer

SPEAKING HOPE…

1New office

(Winton Methodist)

52Training sessions

in past 6 months

325Sleepsafe volunteers

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Charity registration no. 1108714 Company registration no. 5077777

© Faithworks Wessex 2019 E&OE

Our mandate “to proclaim good news to the poor…to set the oppressed free, to proclaim

the year of the Lord’s favour.”

(Luke 4: 16-19)

VOLUNTEERIn a role

that suits you

PARTNERTo do more,

by doing together

PRAYRequest a

prayer pack

GIVETo help us do more

Contact Alistair and the team if you feel you could help us in any of these ways:

Desig

ned

& pr

oduc

ed: s

pirit

desi

gnw

orks

.co.

uk

It’s easy to donate to Faithworks:1. Text giving using DonR:To set up monthly giving, simply text FAITHWORKS and an amount you wish to donate to 70085. For example, FAITHWORKS 10 will create a £10 monthly gift. See our website for more information2. Online: Through CAF or PayPal via our website: https://faithworkswessex.org.uk/give/donate/ or scan this QR code.

3. Specific Client Needs: Regular requests are uploaded to https://acts435.org.uk/ 100% of your donation will help lift one of our clients out of crisis.

4. Leave a Legacy: Legacies are the biggest source of voluntary income to the charity sector. 6% of the population leave a gift to charity in their will - if this increased to 10% it would generate another £1 billion each year! Help us prevent people hitting the misery of crisis by leaving a gift in your will to Faithworks.

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Faithworks WessexHeron Court Road Bournemouth, BH9 1DE

01202 429037

faithworkswessex.org.uk

hello@faithworkswessex.org.uk

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