YEARS90 For supporters of the BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields You were there Thank you. Your kind generosity is supporting many people like Manu, so he could access life-changing services and turn his life around for the better. Within this newsletter you can hear the positive steps Manu has taken since he was supported by The Connection, and from many other people who are taking brilliant strides forward, now they’ve had that little bit of support. Manu said: ‘Without The Connection I haven’t got a clue where I’d be… They’re trying to help me. To me The Connection is home.’ As you may know, each gift is shared between the Vicar’s Relief Fund and The Connection at St Martin’s. When Manu was supported by The Connection you chose to make that precious gift to the 2015 BBC Radio 4 St Martin-in- the-Fields Christmas Appeal, you stood Inside with someone and offered your hand. Hugh Dennis tells the story of the Through coming together we are all Christmas Appeal, as we mark 90 years. stronger. We hope you enjoy reading Visit www.smitfc.org to find out more. over the next few pages, as you will see many examples of this for yourself. Thank you for standing with us as we mark 90 With your support Manu years of the Appeal, and 90 years together is making a new start I’m very glad vulnerable people themselves. This year After losing his job, Manu to tell you that we also see the Appeal, and the partnership battled with addictions and also you helped raise between all who support it, reach a an incredible landmark 90 years. ended up losing his home. You £2.5 million supported Manu to move on with That’s why we want to call the 2016 Appeal, for the 2015 simply, ‘Together for 90 years’, marking his life and now he is ready to BBC Radio 4 St the 90 years that St Martin’s has run the Martin-in-the- return to work. Christmas Appeal with the BBC and with Fields Christmas kind support from our donors each year. Appeal. You can read about how your gifts The ‘together’ emphasises that it’s done in have been helping vulnerable people in this partnership, and that the most important newsletter. It’s not about magic wands or thing we can do is to show a vulnerable quick fixes: it’s about slow, sustained, person that they are not alone. Manu had a job in London for almost Over the years, Manu has accessed a resilient, sometimes painstaking steps to 20 years, but after he lost it, he began to range of different services at The emerge from crisis into dignified, Thank you for being part of this precious struggle with his alcohol and gambling Connection but the one that has helped empowered lives. It’s very hard to do this partnership. We really appreciate your addictions and lost his home. Thanks to him the most is The Connection’s in- alone; and it can’t be done overnight. support. your help, Manu is now doing really well house volunteering scheme, Step Up, While planning for the 2016 Christmas Yours sincerely and is hoping to move into his own flat through which he completed a six week Appeal we reflected on the way the Appeal soon. placement in the kitchen. At first he didn’t think he could do it: is a remarkable partnership between the Manu was sleeping rough on the streets BBC Radio 4 listeners, the St Martin’s of London but with the help of the Outreach ‘You know what? Anybody can do it. If I community, especially The Connection, Team he started to get back on his feet. can, anybody can do it. It doesn’t matter those who work with homeless people Manu remembers how Beki, the Outreach what age, anybody can do it. It’s very, around the country, and homeless and Revd Dr Sam Wells Team Manager, helped him: very good for your future, for your CV and another reason I did it was because ‘She put me in The Connection Night I want to pay The Connection back for Centre. I stayed for five months. I felt what they did for me. They’ve done a lot Our year in 2015. How your money is spent. safe and warm, that’s what you need. for me – I’ve learnt to be patient and be Especially in the cold weather you need kind to people because they’ve been there.’ 2,571 people accessed 4% The Connection some place safe and warm and The 5% practical and advice Vicar’s Relief Fund Connection is there.’ With your support Manu is now doing services, receiving support 5% really well, looking forward to moving Infrastructure costs for homelessness and with into his own flat and looking for a job as housing Communication a cleaner. Manu added: & Appeal costs 744 people slept at the 49% Contingency ‘Without The Connection I haven’t got Emergency Night Centre £50 a clue where I’d be. Maybe I’d be dead. 37% 658 people accessed our in- can provide a safe When I started coming here I was getting house training, education & night’s sleep in our banned from the centre. I know the limit Thank you so much for shelter, while long now and I don’t cross that line. They’re employment service your support. The chart term housing is trying to help me. You have to lead by 3,090 grants were awarded illustrates how your gift found. by the Vicar’s Relief Fund supports homeless and example.’ vulnerable people. 2 3 With your help we’re Better Connected There are now 940 people sleeping rough each night in 1,417 rough sleepers were Because many come to The Connection London, which represents 26% contacted by our street with absolutely no experience, the tutors of rough sleepers in England. outreach team and here show them how the internet and IT Your donations to the Christmas Appeal encouraged to access know-how can help in their day-to-day mean The Connection can keep their relevant support lives. Each workshop focuses on different doors open all year round. With your services, last year. areas such as Keyboard Skills, Social Media, support, last year 744 people stayed in the Digital Photography or Internet Safety. Emergency Night Centre. The Connection’s William has been a client volunteer from Outreach Team are out in London every the start and says: night, looking for people bedded down, to offer help and support, with many ‘I never used Facebook or Twitter before referred to the night shelter. A client takes part in Better Connected but after being involved with Better Connected I now have an account. I can Last October, the Connection started a see how you can put your views across new drop-in group called Better Connected, and I like that because it’s democratic. to help people who are homeless gain vital There’s a lot to learn in Better Connected online skills that they often lack. The group and so much software available to clients. is an inclusive space, supporting people to If you’ve got the technology you can feel more confident using the internet. really do things, and it’s free!’ No Scrooge in this Christmas Carol… Last Christmas, we were delighted to have We would like to say a very big thank you £5 £15 £25 the support from the cast of ‘A Christmas to the cast, the many audience members Carol’ which ran at the Noel Coward and Sonia Friedman Productions for their provides someone with can help improve can help to end Theatre in St Martin’s Lane, during the enthusiasm, support and generosity. a hot meal, a shower and confidence, with an activity homelessness for someone, festive season. clean clothes workshop session with an in-depth assessment for someone sleeping out. With a contribution made from ticket sales and collections on site, we were over the moon to receive a fantastic £17,106! Cast members Jim Broadbent, Samantha Spiro, Adeel Akhtar, Keir Charles and Amelia Bullmore came to visit The Connection at St Martin’s, to see for themselves how the centre in Trafalgar Square supports homeless and vulnerable £50 £100 £200 people through specialist services – can provide a safe night’s pays for an employability will provide street outreach including a day and night centre and sleep in our shelter, while course, with interview support and help someone street outreach. long term housing is found. techniques, confidence in crisis building and presentation Thank you! skills – and helps someone get back into work. 4 5 The Vicar’s Relief Fund Since January this year, you have Did you know? With your support, the VRF team award Trish Kinsella manages the Rainbow supported 1,475 people with grants grants to organisations right across the Centre in Scarborough and earlier this The Vicar’s Relief Fund awards grants to awarded by the Vicar’s Relief Fund. UK, supporting people far and wide – year she wrote to us to say thank you. the following: from Inverness to Belfast, Aberystwyth to Trish applies to the VRF for urgent funds, The Vicar’s Relief Fund (VRF) provides • To pay rent arrears to remove the threat Exeter. so she can secure housing for someone urgent grants to vulnerable people, right of eviction sleeping out, or help when they might be across the UK.