UNLEASH/ Housing Justice News Release 16 September 2005
For immediate release
New forum debunks Soup Run myths
There has been heated debate over recent months about services for homeless and vulnerable people in London , especially volunteer led soup runs. They are criticized for providing a service that keeps people on the streets, even that they “lure people who are too lazy to cook.” (The Times, Saturday 10 September 2005 ). Westminster City Council says that there are too many of them. At their recent Soup Summit, it was asserted that there is “One soup run for every two rough sleepers”
UNLEASH and Housing Justice believe that these myths need to be challenged and debunked. Soup runs have a vital part to play in bringing homeless people the help they so desperately need. They provide friendly contact for many of the poorest and most vulnerable people in London , and offer much more than just a bite to eat.
Even when formerly homeless people have found accommodation, their need for support and friendship does not change, and nor does their ability to cook and provide meals for themselves suddenly return.
Working with UNLEASH Development Worker Alastair Murray, Grant Everitt of Shelter’s Street Homeless Project organized a meeting of some of the main London soup runs on 9 September. At this meeting, attended by the Simon Community, All Souls Local Action Network and others, it was agreed to start a London forum.
UNLEASH and Housing Justice will jointly coordinate the new forum, the first meeting of which will be in November in London.
The forum will help groups offering food and outreach to coordinate their activities, and ensure that any overlap is avoided. It will also help develop and promote good practice guidelines such as training for volunteers in food hygiene, conflict prevention and other useful issues.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the forum will promote an alternative point of view to the anti-soup run lobby.
The Forum will show that soup runs are in the best tradition of Church and faith group social action; doing their vital, life saving work at no cost to the taxpayer, and improving the health, well being and life chances of some of the poorest and least well served people in London.
Ends
For further information on the London Soup Run Forum contact Alastair Murray at UNLEASH 020 7723 7273
About UNLEASH
UNLEASH, also known as Church Action on Homelessness in London, is an umbrella membership organisation for churches, projects and individuals involved in homeless action in London. UNLEASH provides a network for people to plug into and a forum where projects can share information, discuss concerns, find resources and develop good practice.
UNLEASH supports:
Churches that offer services to people who are homeless, such as Drop-ins, Day centres and Winter Shelters.
Individual Christians of every denomination who work in the fields of homelessness or housing in London.
Any organisation or project working alongside or on behalf of homeless people.
People of all faiths (and none) who want to hear a distinctly Christian voice in this field.
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing. It was formed in April 2003 through the merger of two long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC) bringing together more than 60 years of experience of working for change in the field of housing.
Housing Justice provides frontline services to people in housing need and campaigns to improve housing policy. Housing Justice funds a network of 10 housing advice agencies and numerous community projects, and develops models of good practice for frontline services that local groups can adopt. In total Housing Justice is actively involved in 35 communities across England and Wales.
Housing Justice Regenerate, funded by the Home Office’s Civil Renewal Unit, supports resident-led regeneration in 15 guide neighbourhoods across the UK. Regenerate brings together residents who have transformed their estates with those who want to embark on the regeneration process to share thinking and offer support.
Housing Justice works with and for homeless and badly housed people of all denominations, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of religious beliefs.
For further information on Housing Justice see www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Luke Evans 020 7723 7273
email media@housingjustice.org.uk