Christmas is coming! Our virtual advent calendar is launching on our social media channels today, featuring original poetry written by people with lived experience and performed by service users, volunteers and members of the SSJ team.

The poems communicate different aspects of homelessness, covering topics including drug misuse, mental health issues, and addiction recovery.

The calendar also shows how you can donate to specific causes, such as buying a hot meal or a Christmas gift for our service users. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (X) to unveil the advent doors throughout December!

This Christmas, Society of St James aim to raise £15,000 to help support people experiencing homelessness in Southampton, Portsmouth and across Hampshire. We hope that this appeal will help to break the stigma surrounding homelessness and fund essential services and support for vulnerable people this Christmas and throughout the year.

SSJ will be working with local businesses to encourage fundraising events such as Christmas Jumper Days and cake sales to help reach our £15,000 target. The charity urges businesses to share photos of their fundraisers on social media, tagging them and using the hashtag #SSJChristmas.

Chief Executive Trevor Pickup said:

 “Homelessness is a complex and often misunderstood issue that affects thousands across our region. Many people face stigma, discrimination, and isolation because of their housing situation. They are often blamed for their own misfortune, or ignored by society.

But we believe that everyone deserves dignity, respect and compassion. That’s why we are launching this campaign to raise awareness and funds for our work with people who are homeless and are facing multiple problems. We want to show them that they are not alone, that they are valued, they have hope for the future and that we will carry on supporting them despite what can often present as a protracted and cyclical journey to independence.”

To get involved, visit our social media channels today, or visit our dedicated Christmas Appeal page to view our fundraising packs and learn more about our fundraising goals.

SSJ provides a comprehensive range of services, including hostels, transitional housing, substance misuse services and an academy of life skills classes, volunteering, sport and craft opportunities. By successfully implementing these services, the organisation challenges the stigma associated with homelessness, provides support and rehabilitation, and promotes sustainable solutions to reduce the number of individuals experiencing homelessness.

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. 

Autumn, Winter and Christmas is an important time for us at SSJ – as we start thinking about the colder nights, rain, snow and other elements that may affect people during the darker nights.

It’s also at this time that we start planning for the launch of our Christmas Campaign (October 15th) which follows directly on from World Homeless Day on October 10th.

We have many stories we want to tell during these winter months – and once again we will be committing to raise money for our Christmas Meal Campaign, as we have done every year.

How you can help?

We are looking for community groups, businesses and anybody who wants to support us this Christmas to get in touch and let us know they want to support our Christmas Meal Campaign. The appeal will be going live on October 15th – and we want to give you the heads of as to what to expect, how much we need to raise and what will be happening during the winter months.

If you’re looking for a challenge this winter, please think about committing your support to our Christmas Campaign and help provide a more positive future for people affected by homelessness.

If you want to support us, email Dennis.Jones@SSJ.org.uk – we’d be happy to give you a call for a chat. We’re planning a Zoom meeting before the launch to talk about our Christmas plans, if that interests you email Comms@SSJ.org.uk (Headline: Christmas Talk) and we will add you to the list and let you know the details.

Ideas: Winter runs, fundraising evening, concerts, quizzes, staff events & more.

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

Summer seemed to go fast, didn’t it? We’ve had an interesting time in fundraising – most of the excitement came from our online art festival, but we have also had some fantastic donations come in which we have really appreciated.

As we approach winter we are looking at the end of the long days and the start of the cold winter nights. With this come the bad weather we expect – and before we know it Christmas will be here (more on that soon, we have plans!).

Winter is a time which can be even more difficult for our service users as the evenings close in and the wet weather arrives. There is still time to fundraise for us!

Just because the evenings will be darker soon it doesn’t mean the end of long walks, runs and fitness goals. The winter is a great time to get outdoors and be active – and to use that time to raise money for people affected by homelessness.

As I said we have something really exciting launching in October (spoilers!) but till then why not take the chance to raise money for SSJ?

Why not run, walk, jog, sleep, dance, throw, joke or sing your way to glory this year and help raise money for people affected by homelessness.

We’ve been ultra-nice as well – check out the video below to learn how to set up a JustGiving page for your event.

Email Dennis.Jones@SSJ.org.uk and tell us how you plan to raise money,

From all at SSJ.

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.

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.

As a charity that supports people affected by homelessness and complex issues such as a history of trauma with subsequent alcohol dependency or drug addiction, we are always looking for ways to brighten up the lives of the individuals we support.

Fundraising for SSJ is a great way to show your support – knowing that the money you raise goes to support and help those who traditionally have nothing at all.

We recently released a video where CEO Trevor Pickup talks a little about the properties we buy and refurbish and how that benefits our service users in giving them a chance to move on into their own accommodation and the effect that has on their mental wellbeing.

Most people who have been impacted by homelessness have no ID, no decent clothes to attend job interviews and occasionally need help to travel to and from job interviews and training.

This is where your help with fundraising for us comes in by helping to fund the refurbishment of properties ring-fenced for those who have been homeless and to help them move on in life.

Here are 5 ways you can fundraise for SSJ and help make a difference to our service users and residents.

Think up a theme

Why not spend your day at work wearing a hat that you have made, or perhaps spend a day at your desk in a sleeping bag. Think about something you and your colleagues will enjoy and raise money by getting people to sponsor you to build, create or do.

Host a Quiz

Get as many friends together – staying as socially distanced as possible and host a quiz. Or why not live-stream a quiz on Youtube and share it across community groups. We’d suggest setting up tickets to attend (Eventbrite is good for this) and send the link for live streaming an hour before the quiz goes live.

Tennis Teams

Get together with a group of friends at a tennis court and have 10 or more on each side – when somebody misses the ball somebody takes their place. Each person is sponsored for 10/20p for every ball missed. Our comms man Dennis once did this and it is a lot of fun to do.

E-Treasure Hunt

Why not be the new Anneka Rice and set up a treasure hunt for friends and family. We’d suggest a £5 entry fee – do it digitally and set up pages and clues across the internet that lead to one big prize. From a web page with a puzzle to solve leading to a newly set up social media channel – we’d be happy to help by storing the final answer somewhere for you….

Keep it Simple

Sometimes the best ways to raise money are the simple ones. Run, walk, jog, climb, walk, bike, whatever you want to do to raise money for SSJ – it all helps make a massive difference to those we look after – so go raise money and have a fantastic summer of fundraising for SSJ!

Are you already raising money for SSJ? Let us know and we can share it on our channels. Email Comms@SSJ.org.uk

• £30 raised could buy one person much needed ID
• £40 raised could give one week of travel to interviews or training
• £50 raised could buy an outfit for a job interview

In 2022 The Society of St James turns 50. From now till July next year we will be publishing 50 stories from SSJ – such as the incredible journey of Liam which was released last week. Let us know if you want to raise money for us in our jubilee year. Email Dennis.Jones@SSJ.org.uk

My Journey Community Grants and Southampton Council have awarded £4,000 to the Society of St James and Saints4Sport which will help pay for much-needed mountain bikes.

Saints4Sport offers vulnerable people who have been affected by complex issues the chance to enjoy sporting activities such as mountain biking through the New Forest – which helps with fitness as well as mental health.

The bikes which were being used by the team were starting to fall apart and required regular maintenance to work as they should. The new bikes mean the team will now have 10 new reliable bikes that can be used by the Saints4Sport team members on their road to recovery.

Ashley Christopher, Team Leader at Saints4Sport said: “We are delighted with this grant from MyJourney Community Grants and Southampton Council.

“Being able to purchase the new bikes means we have secured the future of our mountain biking activities which are such a benefit to the service users.

“We regularly head out on cycling activities across the south, including visits to the New Forest. We get to see the benefit this has on the service users through improved mental health and better fitness – so these bikes will play a big part in improving the lives of those who are recovering from homelessness or addictions.”

The Society of St. James Saints4Sport Project is run in partnership with the Saints Foundation and offers free educational, sport, and employment support activities to adults who are affected by the harmful impact of substance misuse, homelessness, poor mental health, and involvement with the Criminal Justice System.

Alongside the physical activities, we also offer many other opportunities for people to develop their skills and confidence, including access to training and education, with courses such as Health and Social Care, First Aid, Stewarding, Criminology, and Customer Service available.

For more information on Saints4Sport, visit: ssj.org.uk/sub-service/saints4sports/

It’s been something of a strange year for all of us across the world. As a charity, we have faced many new challenges and had to adapt to what some are calling the ‘new normal’.

Since our update in March we have been faced with the issues caused by COVID-19, which you can read about in our Newsletter. The one consistent in all of this is that we are always there for the most vulnerable – through normal times and during any crisis that happens in the country.

We are looking at some of the news stories we have posted during the past few months to reflect on some of the stories we have shared with you.

In March we shared a case study about our Re-Cycle Bikes project, which gives service users the chance to learn new life skills as well as helping improve their feeling of self-worth and mindfulness. Since then, the team at Jordan House has worked tirelessly to collect and refurbish bikes that have gone on to help Key Workers across Southampton and Portsmouth during the COVID-19 crisis.

As mentioned in our update in March, we were planning a week-long set of activities and events to give our female service users the chance to enjoy some mindfulness sessions, as well as pampering, new haircuts, and a bake-off competition. Hosting through our Horizons Project and with support from The Southern Co-op, the event was a huge success – and you can read about that here. 

And just before lockdown happened in March, we wrote about Café in the Park and some of the delightful food on the menu – whilst also reflecting on the Pay it Forward scheme. The café is once again open – but with a limited menu and outside seating only. If you get the chance to visit the café you can still Pay It Forward to help vulnerable people.

During the lockdown, we were delighted to learn that we had won an award at the Business Charity Awards, thanks to our partnership with The Southern Co-op. This came at a time when everybody was still coming to terms with ‘the new normal’ and was a welcome morale boost for all staff members and everybody involved in our partnership with The Southern Co-op.

The most important aspect of lockdown for us was making sure our service users had the support they needed. Louise Bolton shared her top tips for social distancing – which we had been using with the most vulnerable people in our care. As well as this, the tremendous support from you helped us brighten up lockdown for residents at St James Care.

More recently, thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund, we were able to purchase a new van which will help combat the impact of COVID-19 – allowing us to make essential deliveries of medication and more.

We’ve covered a lot of the community work in our Newsletter, which we highly recommend reading.

Winter 2020

We are now turning our focus towards the winter months. World Homelessness Week takes place this October and gives us the chance to ask people to think about what it means to be vulnerable and homeless. We also have several videos from our CEO which we will share across Social Media and of course, we are already looking at the cold winter months and planning to look after those in our care during that time.

Like our Facebook page: facebook.com/SocietyofStJames/

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/SSJCharity

Thank you for all your support. We will post another review in January.