Housing Justice UNLEASH email bulletin December 2007

Hello and welcome to Housing Justice UNLEASH enews for December.

About this Housing Justice UNLEASH news bulletin
This monthly bulletin aims to be a quick but worthwhile read for people working in or concerned about housing and homelessness in London. The readership includes: churches and other faith groups, individuals working in housing or homelessness agencies, people who are or have been homeless, and people with an interest in housing, homelessness and related issues.

It goes out each month to over 1200 people and Housing Justice members are invited to use it to share news or needs. Comments or feedback are always welcome.

Subscribe/unsubscribe Please forward to any colleagues or friends who may be interested. If you have received a copy in this way and would like your own please email me - also to unsubscribe anytime.
a.murray@housingjustice.org.uk

Privacy/data protection I will not share your email or any of your personal details with other people or organisations without your permission, and this email is sent blind copy to prevent spam and viruses.

Scroll down for -

Housing Justice Christmas Carol Service
Sleeping Bags
The Impact of Inequality on Children
Soup Runs Forum
London Citizens AGM
Poverty and Homelessness Action Week 2008
Home, Homelessness and Community workshop
Winter Shelters Forum
Housing Justice New Chair and Board Members
URBlog
Join Housing Justice!

Housing Justice Christmas Carol Service
You are cordially invited to join us for our first Christmas Carol Service featuring St Angela’s Ursuline School Choir, Streetwise Opera and Second Opinion.
Refreshments to follow
Thursday 13 December 2007 at 7.00pm
St John’s Church
Waterloo Road London SE1 8TY
nearest station: Waterloo
RSVP to a.murray@housingjustice.org.uk

Sleeping Bags
I have found a very economical supplier of sleeping bags at just £3 each (made in China of course!) although minimum order is 100. If you are interested email me and I will co-ordinate an order. Thanks to ASLAN for this information.

The Impact of Inequality on Children
Does inequality deny children, both within the UK and globally, ‘a good childhood?’
A Seminar led by Richard Wilkinson, Professor of Social Epidemiology at Nottingham University
Date and Time : Tuesday 4 December 4pm - 5.30pm
Tea, coffee and biscuits from 3.30pm
Venue: Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, Storey's Gate, SW1 (opposite Westminster Abbey - in the Methodist Central Hall Chapel)
Sponsored by The JustSHARE Coalition with the generous support of The Children's Society
This is a FREE Event - so feel free to turn up - but you may prefer to register your interest in advance to be certain of securing a seat
Call Chris Brice 020 7932 1121 chris.brice@london.anglican.org
Richard is also speaking on the same topic earlier the same day at 1pm at St Mary Le Bow, Cheapside, EC1 as part of a series of JustSHARE lunchtime events - for further details see www.justshare.org.uk

Soup Run Forum
After the recent London Councils attempt to ban soup runs and the media brouhaha that was generated - possibly more heat than light? - here are details about the next Soup Run Forum meeting. If you volunteer with a soup run, or if you are interested in contributing to the discussion about how all services might work together more effectively on behalf of homeless and vulnerable people, please come along.
It is later the same day and just down the road from Richard Wilkinson's seminar - why not come to both?
Tuesday 4 December at 6.30pm
St Vincent's Centre, Carlisle Place, London SW1P 1NL
RSVP to me for an agenda and minutes, or see www.souprunforum.org.uk

London Citizens AGM
London Citizens Annual General Meeting is on
Thursday 6 December 2007 at 7pm
The London School of Economics,
Clement House, Aldwych,
London WC2A 2AE
Click here for map

London Citizens website for more info www.londoncitizens.org.uk/
RSVP to Josephine Mukanjira josephine.mukanjira@cof.org.uk

Poverty and Homelessness Action Week 2008
There are lots of events planned in London and across the UK for Poverty and Homelessness Action Week, including poverty hearings, sleep outs, prayer meetings, and a London poetry event - details coming soon. It is still not too late to organise something. We can provide ideas, resources, and help you to take part in this national week of action and events highlighting the realities and links between poverty and homelessness in the UK.

Visit the Homelessness Sunday section of our website for more information and resources
www.housingjustice.org.uk/homelessness-sunday/

Home, Homelessness and Community workshop
Also during Poverty and Homelessness Action Week this is the second in a series of occasional workshops aiming to explore the meaning of home and community through in-depth consideration of the experience, and the meaning, of homelessness and ‘unhoused’ states of mind.
Friday 1st February 2008 10.00 – 5.00 pm
9.30 for tea, coffee and registration
Kairos Centre nr. Roehampton, London
Cost £50 including lunch (some bursaries may be available for the unwaged)
See attached flier for more info and booking form

Winter Shelters Forum
A date for your diary: Tuesday 5 February 2008 6.00pm at the Housing Justice office
Email me for minutes and agenda

Housing Justice New Chair and Board Members
Housing Justice is a national voice for Christian action in the field of housing and homelessness, active through churches and projects around the country, based in central London. Our new Chair should have solid experience of the voluntary sector, ideally within the housing field, a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills, a practising Christian with knowledge of the denominations and able to reflect theologically in the public arena.

Board Members are also needed from a variety of backgrounds including those with housing, policy, business, marketing, media, fundraising and campaigning skills. We particularly welcome applicants from ethnic minority backgrounds and women who are currently under represented on our board.

For an informal conversation phone Alison Gelder on 020 7723 7273 x 230 email info@housingjustice.org.uk or visit our website www.housingjustice.org.uk

URBlog
Recommended blog on "urban theology, life, faith, and action"
www.urblog.typepad.com/

I will probably do another brief e-news update later in December, but that's all for now folks!

2007-2008 Winter Shelter List
The list of of winter shelters open in 2007-08 is available to download here>>

**************************************************************************************************
Join Housing Justice!
You may join Housing Justice as an Individual Member or as a Member Organisation and

Support the work of Housing Justice – helping the prevention of homelessness and bad housing
Receive regular Housing Justice and UNLEASH Newsletters
Receive invitations to events, workshops and conferences
Contribute to Housing Justice campaigns and connect with our other nationwide projects: Housing Justice Regenerate, Homelessness Sunday and the Housing Justice CHAS (independent housing advice) network
Member Organisations also benefit from
Connecting with the network of churches, projects and individuals involved in action on homelessness and poor housing.
Free Volunteers training (London only at present)
Free email subscription to Housing Justice Digest, a weekly round up of all the news on homelessness, housing and related current issues
Special reduced rate membership of Homeless Link
Management Committee Support e.g. Business Planning, Fundraising

Please email me with your details for a membership information pack

Name:

Name of Organisation/Church (if any):

Address:

Post Code:
Tel: