Food for Thought - Maidstone Day Centre

Threshold
2011
Maidstone Day Centre supporting Homeless & Vulnerable People
Food for Thought
Amidst lavish events like the Queen’s Jubilee and the
Olympics and with regular news of yet another bonus for
bankers, food banks to provide for those in need have
been springing up in towns across the UK. But the
concept of community food share projects is far from
new. Food for Thought,
Maidstone Christian Care
Maidstone Day Centre’s own
Food For
Thought
scheme, has been running
Community Food Share Scheme
successfully since 2005 and
predictably, demand for the service is still high. Eight
years ago we became aware that there were children
in our community who were not getting enough to eat,
who were going to bed hungry and arriving at school the
next day having had no breakfast. We also came across
elderly people who were finding it difficult to make ends
meet but were too proud to ask for help; for some time we
had been providing emergency food parcels for families
in crisis, using donations of produce received at the Day
Centre from local Harvest Festivals and Christmas
appeals. The problem was growing and something had
to be done. Following advice from food share schemes in
the UK, a sound framework of documentation and rules
was set up and Maidstone Day Centre’s Food for Thought
was born!
The rapid growth of the scheme was due not only to the
rising numbers of those struggling to cope back in 2005,
but also to the generosity of local traders who agreed to
donate their surplus food items to help those who would
otherwise go hungry.
Maidstone Christian Care
Maidstone
Day Centre
Newsletter issue 10
The service is based at our day centre for homeless and
vulnerable people and as well as supplying our own
kitchens, Food For Thought currently provides for 12
school breakfast clubs in the area as well as hostels, care
homes and day centres for elderly and disabled people.
In a perfect example of what Big Society really means
Food for Thought is relied on by social workers and
organisations working with some of the most
disadvantaged people in our society. The success of FFT
is largely due to the fact that we are a small, independent
charity with no red tape so help is immediate and each
food parcel is carefully made up to suit the needs of the
individuals.
I am reminded of the family that arrived in Maidstone a
couple of days before last Christmas, fleeing domestic
violence and although they had temporary
accommodation, arrived with nothing, no food or money
to go shopping and not even toothbrushes or nappies
for the baby. Within a couple of hours, parcels had been
provided to the family with plenty of basic foods including
tea, coffee, cereals, bread, tinned meat and fish as well
as fresh fruit and toiletries for everyone. Thanks to some
very generous donations that week we were able to send
some special Christmas food as well as crackers and
presents. Benefits take a long time to set up, particularly
at holiday time but we continued providing help until the
family received their first benefit payments some weeks
later. That’s what Food for Thought delivers, individual
help when it is needed.
You may see the MDC Food for Thought van buzzing around Maidstone
with its’ brand new livery, kindly provided by P and P Signs.
See inside for more news about Maidstone Day Centre
“They said I wasn’t
blind enough to
get Disability
living allowance.”
Shaun Oswald is
completely blind in
his left eye and has
glaucoma in the right
one. When he became
homeless, following his
divorce, he was reduced
to living in a tent by the
river. Living in a one man
tent is marginally better
than sleeping rough but it is always damp and cold and if
you don’t want to carry it around all day you risk it being
stolen. For Shaun it was also dangerous. “Because of
my failing sight, the only time I was mobile was when it
was daylight. I had to be settled in the tent early in the
evening before it was dark until it was light again the next
morning because it is so hazardous along the river path.,”
he told Threshold. “I am a townie boy, used to street lights
and traffic fumes. The first night in the tent I heard these
noises and I was really scared, I thought it was a six foot
bloke but it turned out to be a hare!”
One of the problems that might not occur to people who
live in houses is that rough sleepers have nowhere to
leave their possessions, as Shaun explained. “Carrying
all my stuff on my back and wearing a thick coat in
summer, I might as well have had a notice round my neck
saying ‘homeless. When I met people I used to know and
told them I was now homeless, they always assumed that
I had become an alchi or a druggie. You are all tarred
with the same brush.”
The fact that anyone can become homeless is brought
home when you hear that Shaun had a traditional
upbringing, achieving A Level in English and in History and looking forward to a career in catering. Until
a couple of years ago he was a chef at the 36 Engineer
Regiment Barracks, having worked in the officers’ mess
for three years before being promoted to head chef of the
Sergeants’ mess. Standards were very high and on
ceremonial occasions I cooked for the Queen, Duke of
Kent and all the other dignitaries. Following cutbacks,
Shaun left “Shaun first came to the Day Centre in March
and, staff helped him to apply for Local Authority
accommodation and Disability living Allowance but both
were turned down. “They said I wasn’t disabled enough
for the benefit,” he said. “I was angry.” Staff at
Maidstone Day Centre were very worried about Shaun’s
health and his safety because they could see how very
vulnerable he was and It was only due to the
determination and persistence of our Manager and our
volunteer GP that someone eventually listened and he
was given a room at the hostel next door.
“I am grateful to be given a roof over my head,” Shaun
acknowledged, “ but here there are loads of youngsters
there who aren’t working and they get up at 2 or 3 in the
afternoon and stay up all night with loud music. They
should be trained to live next door to people for when
they get a flat. They seem to be part of the something for
nothing culture. I was brought up to have to work for what
you get. Every morning you went out of the door to work
you held your head up high. When I was young it was a
stigma to be on the dole or to be an unmarried mother,
but all that has gone. Since my sight has gone I notice
how some people don’t care. Even if I have my white cane
people get annoyed if I bump into them and I have had
mums with buggies and toddlers who bang into me and
the mums are annoyed at me! One said, ‘you want to look
where you are going.’ But I can’t.”
Friendships are often formed between clients at the Day
Centre and Shaun and Peter share many experiences. “I
talk with Pete and we were both happily married, we had
homes, families and holidays but it all went wrong and
like a domino effect we have ended up where we are. It
does get to you and I have moments when I think ‘this is
hopeless; is it worth it?’”
I know it is going to be a long haul. There is a guy who
busks in Maidstone. I feel sorry for him because he has
been blind for birth but he says he feels sorry for me
because I have seen red and yellow and now I can’t.
I always loved books, real life stories, war history and
Shakespeare but I haven’t yet investigated talking books,
I am waiting for my consultant to register me as blind and
after that the floodgates will open! I am getting long cane
training at the moment with Kent Association for the Blind
and I will learn Braille.
If I had my sight back I would carry on cheffing but as I
am now it’s going to have to be a totally different way of
living, like learning to walk all over again, a step at a time.
You can now find us on Facebook (go and ‘like’ us please) and Twitter. We also have an additional new website www.maidstone-
“My family is of
French origin,
they escaped to
England during
the Revolution.
The name Treays
is mentioned in
Burke’s Peerage.”
Peter had worked as dustman and as a doorman at a
cinema but lost his licence because of drink driving. “The
ban is almost up and I really have learned my lesson. I
hardly drink at all now but I wish I could give up smoking.”
Every day for the past six months, Peter has been walking
the 7 miles from his tent to the Day Centre. “Coming here
was wonderful, and the staff made it so easy. If it hadn’t
been here, I don’t know what I would have done,” he said.
This place is a Godsend.“
“I worked for various agencies but they don’t seem to
need people anymore. Until now if someone had said,
here’s a broom, sweep the road, there’s a wage packet at
the end of it I would have snatched their arms off. I have
been out of work for too long.
Peter has just received some very good news. “The Job
Centre put me on a course to job search and I have got a
job in a bakery, making croissants; I start the training next
week. After that I will be on shifts, some 12 hour nights.
I would like to work my way up to a supervisor’s role as I
have experience with staff and their rotas and it should
mean more money.”
This is just the opportunity that will help Peter to turn his
life around. “I will be looking for a one bed roomed flat.”
he said. “I don’t have any debts, no credit cards. So many
people are thousands of pounds in debt but I don’t spend
money I haven’t got.” Life is looking up for Peter and he
can look forward to enjoying some fishing and also
reading which he loves.
“I will carry on coming here to the Day Centre for a
while.”
Noble ancestry didn’t help Peter Treays when he found
himself homeless and forced to sleep rough in Maidstone
car parks.
Peter will be welcome for as long as it takes and we wish
him luck.
My wife was having an affair, so I left,” said 47 year old
Peter, I went back some time later but the house was
empty; they had moved away. I managed to get in touch
with my daughter, but she wouldn’t tell me where they
had gone.”
That was 18 months ago and since then life has been
hard. Peter has been sleeping in a tent in the back garden
of his mum’s one bedroomed flat and although that is a
step up from the sleeping bag in a car park, the nights
can still be bitterly cold. “If the weather is really bad she
will tell me to come in and sleep on the floor,” said Peter,
“but hopefully once I am working again, I will be able to
find a flat to rent.”
maidstonedaycentre.org.uk You can give online through the website or text You can also Gift Aid support - see back page.
IF YOU HAVE MADE OR ARE
CONSIDERING MAKING A DONATION
GIFT AID DECLARATION To: The Hon Treasurer
Maidstone Christian Care, 6 Denton Close, Willington
Street, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8ER
Maidstone Day Centre is there to help homeless and
vulnerable people turn their lives around. The initial need
is usually for hot showers, a good home cooked meal,
clean clothes and a warm sleeping bag for cold nights.
After that work starts on obtaining Benefits, medical
attention and addressing any drug/alcohol or mental
health needs. The search for accommodation will be
next on the list, way before job seeking, because you are
unlikely to find work if you do not have an address.
I wish Maidstone Christian Care to treat all donations I
have made since 6 April 2000 and all donations I make from
the date of this declaration until I notify you otherwise as Gift
Aid donations
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL
We rely on donations and grants to run this service
and we are always grateful to receive financial
support whether by regular giving, wills or a one off gift.
This is just an example of what your money could buy:£10 would buy
a decent sleeping bag to keep a homeless man or woman
warm at night.
£20 would buy
3 good thermos flasks for hot drinks or
12 tins of corned beef or a supply of ready meals in tins
£30 would pay for B & B for one night. People are often
discharged from hospital back onto the streets because
they are not considered vulnerable.
THIS IS HOW YOU CAN INCREASE
THE VALUE OF YOUR GIFT TO
MAIDSTONE CHRISTIAN CARE
Signature ______________________.........____________
Date ___________________.............................................___
Full Name (in capitals) ____________________________
________________________......................................._____
Address _______________________________________
____ __________________________________________
______________________________________________
__......................................_ Postcode __________________
Telephone number ________________........................____
E mail ____________________...............______________
Please note that to make Gift Aid donations you must
pay an amount of income tax or capital gains tax at least
equal to that redeemed on your donation. Should you, at
any time, wish your donations no longer to be made under
the Gift Aid scheme please notify the Hon. Treasurer.
Registered charity number 1048081
HOW TO GIVE
Using Gift Aid means that for every pound you give, we
get an extra 28 pence from the Inland Revenue, helping
your donation to go further.
By cheque payable to: Maidstone Christian Care and send
to: Maidstone Day Centre, 15 Knightrider Street,
Maidstone, Kent ME15 6LP
This means that £10 can be turned into £12.80 just so long
as donations are made through Gift Aid. Imagine what a
difference that could make to our work and it won’t cost
you a penny more.
Log on to our website: www.maidstonedaycentre.org.uk
and click on the’donate’ button on one of the pages.
So if you would like your donation to go further, please
Gift Aid it by completing this form and returning it to
Maidstone Christian Care.
To find out more about giving through regular donations,
wills or with cash, please ring us The Hon. Treasurer on
01622 202239
For a free copy of our newsletter Threshold: please e-mail
your name & address to mdc@homelessinmaidstone.org.uk
or write to the Day Centre or see it on line from the
Maidstone Day Centre website.
You can now find us on Facebook (go and ‘like’ us
please) and Twitter. We also have an additional new
website www.maidstonedaycentre.org.uk You can give
online through the website or text
You can also Gift Aid support - see this page.