Coventry Jesus Centre

Compassion in Action
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                             Drop-in

 
The Bridge meets basic needs of hundreds of homeless and disadvantaged people every week. This includes food, clothing, shower, laundry, phone, information. The most important thing is friendship and support, and we major on those. We also have support workers who give one to one help, and run the Bridge Bond Scheme that enables vulnerable people to get into rented accommodation.
In 8 years the Bridge has had over 125,000 visits by about 5,000 different people. Over half of these had no home of their own.

 


 All kinds of people use the Bridge drop-in. Stuart uses a disabled scooter. The Centre has full disabled access.

 

Friendship means a lot to us

From  a survey in August 2011:

Helps me get breakfast some days


I've been coming to the JC since it opened and i've seen many people come and go. It's a life line. People may not realise it's and anchor, somewhere to turn no matter the situation. It's hard to understand unless you've been in that situation, some of the people here have and that's great.”


Its a support to me with a degree of spiritual connection. A place to spend time with others in a similar situation.”


They provide food, clothes and trainers. Its really helpful.”


I really appreciate the computer training.”


I love coming down here, its a good laugh, much better than being at home.”


Its a place to meet people, it gives people goals and something to look forward too, the people here are sound.”


The Jesus army has helped me to realise I need to get wise before I get old.”


  

 

Bridge Opening Times

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday - 9am to 12 noon

Sunday - 9am to 10.30am

Mondays - shut

(Reception is open 10am to 1pm)

Fridays - shut

(Your Future courses running)

 

The Bridge drop-in opened in 2002. A typical morning's session now has 70 visitors, with new faces arriving most days. Over half our visitors have no home of their own, and their needs include mental health issues, addictions, family breakdown or a failed asylum  claim. We meet basic needs including  food, hot drinks, free clothing and shower  and hygiene facilities. We also issue food  parcels to those in need.

 

The importance of our work was

brought home after we heard about a visitor who died alone at 43. His mum said that he loved the Jesus Centre and we had 'done more for him than anyone else ever had.'

 

Each week in the Bridge we provide:

120 subsidised cooked breakfasts

40 showers and washes

50 lots of clothing

35 free phone calls.

 

 

   Love is the bridge

 

   Lonely and broken, twisted and

    hurting

   He came on the off chance

   Of breakfast and a brew

   A sad and distant look in his eyes

   All hope lost

   ‘This world is a hard place’ he said

   Rueing missed opportunities

   Of what could have been

   It didn’t take long to thaw out

  

   (Written by a drop-in volunteer)



Pete's Story

Pete was 27 when his life was changed forever

As a child he always did his best to endeavour

At 18 working as an apprentice and making a life

By the age of 21 he brought a house, got married had a child and wife

Holidays abroad twice a year a good husband and a proud dad

He enjoyed a drink but it never got in the way of his job or the love he had for his wife and his lad

But… the drinking turned to a craving then to an addiction and Pete was caught in it’s grasp

He’d make all the promises to stop drinking but he would always relapse

Then came the excuses at work, missing days turned to weeks then job lost

Then the bills and debts mounting his wife and son left him he’s paid a high cost

And now he walks the streets drinking cheap cider and meths

It won’t be long now Pete you’ll be another statistic on the list of the down and out deaths.

(By Stan Bridge)

 

WHY ARE PEOPLE HOMELESS?

Click on the link below to see a summary of issues surrounding rough sleeping and people lacking accommodation:

 

/Documents/Rough sleeping issues by Ann.doc


Information about Coventry's Xmas night shelter

www.coventryopenchristmas.co.uk


The Pavement magazine is the FREE monthly magazine for homeless readers. It is handed out at key day centres, drop-ins and hostels and currently has a circulation of 4000+ in London and 2000+ in Scotland. http://www.thepavement.org.uk/.