What does Christmas mean to people who are affected by homelessness? Do they notice the bright lights, do they watch people walk by – Christmas shopping in the cold evenings? Do they wonder what might happen if they had the chance to enjoy a traditional Christmas, as we do, with friends and family?

The answer to the above is yes, but it is also complicated – with many more emotions and feelings playing a part in how people affected by homelessness feel about Christmas.

Last year we asked service users what Christmas means to them. Their replies ranged from exciting to scared and lonely. This isn’t unusual – as every person at SSJ is an individual with their own feelings and thoughts. Whilst some may look forward to our traditional Christmas Meal – provided thanks to our appeal – others may have thoughts of regret relating back to missed opportunities or lost loved ones which mean they find Christmas challenging.

Senior Support Worker Lucy recently spoke to Barry, who has been in our services for a while now, and his thoughts on Christmas show that all kinds of memories can resurface at this time of the year.

Barry said; “Christmas it is horrid, if it was a colour it would be black. It’s a very emotional time. There is a photo of my mum and dad sitting on a step in black and white from 1967, near Christmas time in 2015, I went back to the step and slept on it due to a relationship breakdown, and my mum had passed away.

“People helped me over Christmas time when I was homeless, someone brought me out a Christmas dinner one year, people gave me lots of jumpers, jackets and money which I was very grateful for.”

Barry continued; “now I am temporary accommodated, Christmas is still a hard time due to bereavement and mental health however I am working on myself and have better people in my life who support me now I am kind of looking forward to Christmas. “

Barry speaks about how Christmas can feel like the colour black, but ends with the fact that there is now a support network in his life – and the Christmas Meals Appeal gives us the chance to show Barry that Christmas can be a positive time of the year – and who knows what that good feeling might do for Barry in 2022.

Even for us, those who are lucky to have a home and a family to go home to at Christmas – this time of the year can be complicated, stressful and challenging. Those feelings can be multiplied for people who have a history of homelessness – some who are facing complex health issues too – meaning Christmas can feel incredibly daunting and very lonely.

Our appeal will provide a gift or a Christmas meal to people affected by homelessness, but most of all it will be provide hope.

Please support our appeal by clicking here.

If you want to find out more about our appeal – email Dennis.Jones@SSJ.org.uk

Thank you for your support this Christmas. 

We are fast approaching Christmas and people are already busily following street lights under the haze of the cold evenings, watching the displays in windows as they search for a gift to share with their loved ones which tells them they are not alone.

Christmas for most people is a time of reflection and joy. It’s a time when we can come together and recognise how lucky we are to be able to enjoy time with friends and family, reflecting on the year behind us and focusing on celebrating of love, forgiveness and togetherness.

It’s the opposite for those in our care as they come to grips with a Christmas away from the comforts of a warm home. They won’t be unwrapping presents in front of loved ones, they won’t be anticipating the taste of a cooked bird and the feast that accompanies it and they won’t sit back reminiscing with family members about days gone by.

Donate to our 2021 appeal by clicking here

By supporting our Christmas appeal, you’re providing hope, happiness and a little bit of the Christmas spirit to people who have and expect nothing at a time of year where loneliness can impact mental health and emotional wellbeing.

If you want to read more about our Christmas Appeal, visit our dedicated page and read about Jason’s journey – from homelessness at Christmas to the support he has received from The Society of St James, where he is now planning for a better and brighter future and a Christmas he can enjoy in 2021.

In 2020 we were able spend £4,500 on Asda Gift Vouchers for residents, approximately £4,200 on Christmas dinners for residents with suitable facilities, and where this wasn’t possible the Cafe in the Park produced a special Christmas hamper which was distributed to residents. Many residents were able to enjoy spending time with other service users and the true spirit of Christmas was in place for those who benefited from the 2020 campaign.

Donate to our campaign by visiting this link and help us raise £10,000 in 2021.

If you want to support our campaign or would like more information, email Dennis.Jones@SSJ.org.uk 

A Gran Fondo (Italian for ‘Big ride’) is a 100km cycle ride and with technologywithin boasting a number of keen cyclists amongst their staff, they wanted to hold an event that would appeal to their cycle loving clients and friends along with raising funds for a great cause. On the day they were joined by a host of other riders from the worlds of technology, flexible workspace and commercial real estate at the start line, on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire.

The route took in some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK with the riding group accommodating both the quicker riders and those that preferred to go at a more relaxed pace. The warm weather meant that conditions were perfect for the ride, and everyone was able to enjoy the surroundings as they sped along.

The finish line was back at technologywithin’s HQ and before they crossed it riders were treated to pitstop at a nearby New Forest country pub to discuss the ride and enjoy some well-earned refreshments.

Jon Seal, Managing Director at technologywithin said “It was great to get out and ride with our clients and colleagues. The best part of the day was seeing everyone come together for a great cause. We were delighted to be able to raise £375 for the Society of St James to help them continue the fantastic work they do helping vulnerable people across Hampshire”.

Speaking on behalf of The Society of St James, Dennis Jones said: “We would like to thank Technologywithin and all the riders for their efforts in raising money for SSJ.

“This money will go towards supporting people without a home – making huge difference to our service users.

“SSJ has a history of providing service users with the opportunity to enjoy bike rides as part of their own wellness journey and this story and the efforts by Technologywithin will also inspire our service users.

“Thank you from all at SSJ”

If your organisation would like to raise funds to support those who are vulnerable in Hampshire please contact Dennis.Jones@SSJ.org.uk

Our care homes are an integral part of our support services; working with people with alcohol dependency as well as complex mental health needs, we provide both long-term care and specialist, intensive respite. Dom was one of our residents. He was at Linden House for a short period of time and we want to share his story as part of the build-up to our 50^th anniversary in 2022.

Dom came to live at Linden for a short time after being in hospital – he had become poorly, could not look after himself so well anymore, he needed a place to stay to recuperate and have support to get back on his feet.  I caught up with Dom on the last few days of his stay at Linden House, he let me know –

‘’I felt down and depressed, hit rock bottom and the only way was up and I got a place at St James Care at Linden House after being in hospital.

“It was a bit strange at first, I felt a bit odd, I felt like I wanted to leave, but I spoke to my social worker and she came out to see me, I felt better then. I’m just not used to people, but it was only like that for the first few days.

“I started to get to know people and staff chatted with me and helped me. Staff started to take me to the chemist to get my prescriptions, they were very kind, easy to speak to, I opened up more and more.  I could just get on, I took small steps at a time, staff helped me to go shopping too and I helped in return around the home, I really enjoy doing things like helping others, I got on with everyone there.

“I got back my dignity and pride. And now I’m looking forward to going back to my flat. Everyone at St James Care has helped me get back on my feet again, I’m really grateful, it’s the honest truth”.

All at Linden House will miss Dom’s bubbly, lively character, how he was always looking out for everyone around him. Dom was also supported throughout his stay by Callum from Two Saints and by CGL, and his Social Worker Sarah, who had thanked staff for how much difference they had made to Dom’s life with the support they had given.

Everyone pulled together to help him overcome complications with his health and medications, his finances and generally looking after himself.  We wish Dom well in the future and he’s hoping to return to Linden House to see us soon.

Debs – Senior Shift Leader at Linden House

Photos: With Lyn – Support Worker – With some of the staff, saying thank you and goodbye!
With Callum Intensive Support Worker from Two Saints, – leaving Linden House

Having social areas where our service users can de-stress, relax and take time out is an important part of their journey. Just as we all enjoy gardening or being in spaces that make us feel relaxed and motivated, it is equally as important that we are able to provide the same foundations for those who have a history of homelessness.

A recent article by the Guardian spoke about this, saying that “research has shown that mindfulness exercises that focus one’s attention on the here and now and stop our minds wandering to the past or worrying about the future are an important therapeutic tool.”

At the Society of St James, we believe that providing a home, a garden, or a place that makes somebody feel good about themselves is part of their ongoing journey which gives them hope and makes them feel good about their future.

Thank you to Brodie and his team for their invaluable work to support people affected by homelessness.

Find out more about Green Fingers Gardening Specialists here

The year started with news that we had passed our goals for our 2020 Christmas Campaign, which meant that we were able to use that money to provide meals for people affected by homelessness, whilst the money raised in excess of the original target was used to help service users on the road to recovery. We are all aware that December was challenging for many of our supporters so the support you showed last Christmas meant a great deal to us.

We also published an interview with the Senior Management team, who spoke about the challenges faced during 2020, as well as the plans ahead for the charity and what this means for the next chapter in the history of SSJ as we move towards our 50th year in 2022. As well as this we shared stories about some of our partnerships, including one with Abri.

We also spoke to Liam, a service user, who told us that his cry for help was listened to – and that SSJ played a massive part in his recovery. Liam sent an emotional message of thanks to Hannah in his interview saying “Hannah I wouldn’t be where I am without your help over the last few months, you helped me achieve my goal of being clean and sober. I’m hugely grateful and will be for the rest of my life”

We also told the story of service users who had the opportunity to head to the Isle of Wight for a team-building bike ride to build confidence and help improve mindfulness.

And we recently shared the exciting news about new contactless donation hubs which are situated across Southampton thanks to the Street Support Network and Go! Southampton. A third of the money raised will go to SSJ – with two other charities also receiving the same from the new initiative to help tackle homelessness.

There are so many more stories we will be telling this year – from supporters to service users, as well as fundraisers and staff. Why not tell us about your story? Email Comms@ssj.org.uk and let us know your story.

We provided the opportunity for service users to experience the thrill and excitement of a bike ride to and from Sandown, a coastal town on the east side of the island.

The trip was made possible thanks to a £4K grant from the My Journey grant, provided by Southampton City Council. And £2K from the West Quay – Hampshire & IoW Community Fund. These grants were given to help replace our existing fleet of mountain bikes, ensuring the ongoing success and benefits to our service users.

It was a very enjoyable day. It was great to go on a bike ride in a different place. It would be amazing to be given a chance to go again.

Here’s the story in the words of Ash Christopher, Re-Fit Team Leader:

“On 17th June 2021, twelve of the participants embarked on a cycling adventure to the Isle of Wight (IoW). The plan was to catch the ferry to East Cowes and then cycle to Sandown, have a swim, a bit to eat and cycle back again. A total of 35 miles. This was to be our furthest ride to date, so in preparation, we needed to build up stamina and speed to make the journey, so we completed a number of pre-IoW rides clocking ever increasing distances.

“On the day we met at 8:30am at the bike garage to make the last-minute safety and equipment checks before we left. We then set out from the garage at 9am and got to the Town Quay Red Funnel Ferry terminal by 9:20am, where we bought our tickets. By 10am we were then on board, leaving for the island. Once we disembarked in East Cowes, at 11am. We headed up York Avenue, a steep hill leading out towards Osborne House, the home of Queen Victoria, on our way to Newport to get onto the Red Squirrel Way cycle path. The total distance from East Cowes to Sandown was 16 miles, we had to climb steep hills and navigate busy roundabouts and traffic.

“Having arrived in Sandown after a 2hr cycle ride we had earned a well-deserved rest. We tucked into our packed lunches and some of us were brave enough to go for a dip in the sea. We only had 1hr before we set off on the return journey back. On the return journey we were up against the clock, needing to board the 4:30pm return ferry, in East Cowes. Everyone gave it their all, in the sun, wind and rain. We arrived with 15 minutes to spare.

“It was fantastic to see the riders come together as a group, supporting, motivating and encouraging each other, whilst sharing in this great adventure.”

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with Jay commenting that “it was a very enjoyable day. It was great to go on a bike ride in a different place. It would be amazing to be given a chance to go again.” One service-user also said that “the Isle of Wight was a memorable trip, good fun and a really nice change to cycle somewhere I’ve never been before.”

This would not have been possible without the support from My Journey Hampshire and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Fund. 

A great example of this is the recently launched contactless giving points which have been installed across Southampton as an easy way to donate to chosen charities – one of those being The Society of St James.

The initiative from the Street Support Action Group and GO! Southampton means people can donate easily to support people affected by homelessness with a tap of their contactless bank card.

The article, featured in Businessmag.co.uk says: Street Support Action Group Southampton was formed in 2017 with a community-led approach to help make Southampton a city where no-one needs to sleep rough or beg. The Group is working with GO! Southampton to make sure money that is donated by Southampton’s visitors and residents reaches those who really need it. (You can read the rest of the article here).

As we enter this exciting post-lockdown world – the ways people give will change and this is why we are always open to new ideas and ways to raise money to help those who need it. Contactless donating also makes it easier for us to fundraise in the case of any future pandemics – protecting us as a charity, as well as minimising any hand-to-hand contact if a serious pandemic ever arises again.

We are already signed up with Amazon Smile and Easy Fundraising – both giving customers the chance to support their favourite charity as they shop online. There are many ways to raise money for us – from the traditional route of small events at business or with friends, to donations on our website and even supporting us on JustGiving and even on Facebook – where you can raise money for us simply by choosing to support SSJ when you create a post for friends and family.

How do you raise money for SSJ? Let us know what you’ll be doing to help support us in our 50th year (2022) and beyond.

Photo, SSJ Finance Director Andrew Powell (left) at contactless payment launch, Southampton.

Nicky said: “The support received from the PCC’s office is invaluable and allows staff to offer a trauma-informed, strength-based approach to individuals with a history of homelessness and/or substance misuse issues. “Individuals with complex needs are given a place of safety to begin to address underlying issues. Wrap-around support and exceptional partnership working have contributed to a significant reduction in crime and positive move on to sustained independent living.”

Read more HERE (head to page 44)

Thank you to the Hampshire PCC for all your support.