On 14th June 2022, the Government anounced that it will end Friday prison releases to prevent the race against the clock that is faced by many prisoners released on a Friday. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/end-to-friday-releases-to-cut-crime-and-make-streets-safer We are delighted to hear about this announcement as many of our clients have struggled with this issue for years. They are released...

Our bookshop in Canterbury occupies one of the most photographed buildings in Canterbury, unusual because of its crooked appearance, it is thought to have inspired Charles Dickens’ novel, David Copperfield. The large windows are almost unheard of in this age of building due to the window tax that came in during the late 1600’s, however...

Catching Lives has kindly been offered a piece of farmland for the next five years, which will be used to grow produce for our kitchen at the Catching Lives Open Centre, where our team of volunteers cook meals for the homeless and vulnerably housed of Canterbury and East Kent on a daily basis.  We will...

It is with deep sadness and regret that we announce the sudden passing of our dear friend and colleague, James Duff. James has served tirelessly in roles as Chairman, a Trustee and volunteer for many, many years; his contribution to Catching Lives and to the community has been tremendous and his legacy will live on....

A long time visitor to Catching Lives will be exhibiting his artwork at a local gallery in Folkestone next week. Lachlan has now settled into a permanent home after being homeless and rough sleeping since 1989. He spent many years struggling on the streets, before coming to Catching Lives for the first time more than...

A brand new year is upon us and we hope you had a restful and enjoyable Christmas. A wide variety of events and fundraisers were run for us over the Christmas period, organised by lovely people, taking time out of their own festivities to support us. We are so grateful to everyone that has raised...

As you may know, our Winter Shelter runs every year between December and February to provide warm accommodation to the homeless of Canterbury. This year, we had planned to proceed with our shelter as we would normally, with a church-based shelter available for up to 20 people. However, the recent Covid variant, Omicron put pay...

A wise person once said that giving is a lot more fun than receiving – if you’ve never heard of a reverse advent calendar, the concept is simple. During December, put an item in a box for the homeless each day and drop it off at our Day Centre when you’ve finished. ⠀⠀If this sounds...

Whitefriars, along with Canterbury BID, have organised a Christmas Giving Window this Christmas, taking a £3 donation with every card tap! This is an exciting and innovatve idea, using technology instead of donation tins, with less people now carrying cash, we think this idea is fantastic. Be sure to visit the window (and give it...

With the cost of postage rising and the impact of sending greetings cards harsh on the environment, why not send a virtual card this Christmas? When you buy this virtual greetings card from Catching Lives, you are helping the homeless of Canterbury and the surrounding areas to have a roof over their heads this Christmas....