Overnight shelter launches
It’s been a busy December at Catching Lives as the colder months can bring greater challenges for our clients. We have seen a 20% increase in footfall compared to this time last year. Housed clients are facing challenges including rising rents and heating costs, while people sleeping rough have been affected by freezing temperatures and storms. This week, we opened the Canterbury Community Shelter in partnership with local churches, which means that there will be a hot meal and warm overnight accommodation for up to 15 people available every night until mid-March. We’ve taken on extra team members and volunteers to keep the Winter Shelter running.
We are in urgent need of drivers who can volunteer (ad-hoc or regular) for around 30-45 minutes between 7.30am - 8am or 6.45pm - 8pm. This is a vital role to support the logistics of running the Canterbury Community Shelter. Volunteer drivers will transport bedding packs from the shelter to the day centre (AM shift) or from the day centre to the shelter (PM shift). The role only requires around 30-45 minutes commitment in either of the time slots since all locations are within a 10-minute drive from the centre. Drivers must provide their own car with valid insurance and driving licence. No induction or DBS is required for this role. Staff will load and unload. There’s an online rota so you can easily check gaps and choose which shifts suit you. Please contact volunteer@catchinglives.org
There’s been a lot of media interest in the Canterbury Community Shelter, especially as Canterbury Cathedral is taking part this year. You may have seen us featured on BBC Politics South East on Sunday, the BBC news site on Monday and on BBC Radio Kent's The Wake Up Call on Wednesday. We have also been featured on Greatest Hits Radio and Premier Christian Radio. By raising awareness of the Catching Lives Winter Appeal we hope to raise £50,000 by the end of March. Thank you to everyone who has donated or shared our JustGiving page.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
The Catching Lives Christmas elves have been busy making the Day Centre full of festive cheer and sorting donated items and gifts ahead of Christmas Day, alongside all the usual day-to-day runnings of a small and busy charity. We’re open every day of the year, including Christmas Day, and we’ll be putting on a Christmas dinner with a gift bag for every client.
Over in the Catching Lives bookshop in Palace Street, our volunteer team has created beautiful seasonal displays. Do pop down for any last minute Christmas shopping. Our clients were busy this month, restocking handmade items to raise money for Catching Lives at Streets Ahead Collective at 6-8 Longmarket, Canterbury.
Meanwhile, the Wye Village and Old Wives Lees community choirs came to sing carols at the Day Centre this week. A big thank you to them for taking the time to visit us and spread some festive joy.
Thank you
Thank you to Jodie Okeefe who is doing a sponsored sleep out to raise money for the Catching Lives Winter Appeal. She is hoping to raise even more than she did last year. She said: “I'm doing the fundraiser because Catching Lives is such a worthy cause looking out for those in need. Having volunteered at the centre a couple of years ago I saw first hand the vital support offered to homeless people in the area.” You can sponsor her here.
Thank you to Richard Taylor, of Taylor’s Decorators for raising £1,500 with your 'Room for £1' fundraiser. Our Volunteer Coordinator Rosie’s ‘150 Days of Movement’ fundraiser continues and we’re hearing that Denise Smith’s ‘7 for 70’ has passed its target offline!
Thank you to the Canterbury Academy Trust for raising more than £650 for us at their Christmas market and thank you to everyone who attended the Catching Lives festive quiz or donated raffle prizes to help raise £300.
Thank you to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Whitehead Monckton, British Gas, Sandersons, the 6th Whitstable Scouts Group, Canterbury Eagles U13 Girls FC, Sandwich Rotary Club, All Saints Church, Chillenden, New Life Church, Canterbury and The Village of Chilham for your generous donations. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered with us or donated money or items. We appreciate you.
Meet our new colleague
This month, we have welcomed a new member to the team. Isobel Lamb has joined us as Winter Shelter Coordinator, so we’ve given our ‘Meet The Volunteers’ section a twist and this month it’s ‘Meet our new colleague’.
Tell us about your role:
I've just started as the Winter Shelter Coordinator so I'm helping to deliver the service during the cold months.
Why did you choose to work at Catching Lives?
I heard of Catching Lives when some friends and family of mine exhibited and sold their work at Art Shop to raise money for them last year. They're such a fantastic charity and I felt as though their ethos aligns with my own.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
Getting to know the community in Kent after some time away from the area.
Outside of Catching Lives, how do you like to spend your time?
With friends and family, I love meeting people and discovering new places. I've just moved to Margate so I'm enjoying getting to know it with the help of Nellie (pictured).
What is your previous line of work/study?
I lived in Bristol and worked in temporary accommodation services. Previous to that I worked in hospitality for the best part of a decade, so I've probably cleared more tables than I've eaten at!
What are your passions and interests?
I love music. I was lucky enough to attend a radio broadcasting course and learned how to produce my own show. Mum always said I had the face for it!
And finally…
If you’re reading this on the morning of Saturday, December 21 then there’s still time to attend Canterbury Chamber Choir’s Christmas concert at St Peter’s Methodist Church, Canterbury at 1pm. There will be a retiring collection for Catching Lives. Tickets on sale here and on the door.
Herne Bay in Bloom is also holding a Winter Solstice event and collecting Christmas gifts for our clients from 1pm to 3pm at the Community Kitchen Garden, War Memorial Park, Herne Bay.
In this final newsletter of 2024, we wish you a warm and peaceful December and a Happy New Year!
If you’d like more regular updates, please do keep an eye on our website, Facebook and Instagram for more updates until we write to you again in 2025.
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