In its tenth year, R2R’s Big Breakfast for rough sleepers has moved toThe Spire community cafe on Poole High Street for the winter months of 2019-20. Deborah Clooney and Debbie Jones at The Fisherman Caféhave provided this vitally important service since 2010. The two ladies have now retired and we are grateful to them for all their support to the guys and to The Spire for stepping in.
Last year the provision ran from November 2018 to March 2019 and was accessed by 34 individuals.
In terms of equipping those sleeping outdoors to cope with the day ahead, this breakfast meal is absolutely vital. It is generally accepted that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it certainly makes it much more likely that the guys and girls will be in a better state to deal with appointments with various agencies such as the Job Centre, DWP, doctors, court appearances, etc.
When asked why it was important to have a cooked breakfast, one of our clients said: “Five nights out of seven there is only cold food available – it gives you one hot meal a day at least – some nights can be rough and it’s good to get camaraderie back – it does lift you after a crap night.” Another has commented that knowing he’s going to get a good meal each morning has meant he has not been thieving to get food.
Following on from the last three years, we will again confine the breakfast provision to the four days when we do not have afternoon drop-ins, to encourage more rough sleepers to engage with those who can help them at the drop-ins. This has proved to be very effective.
If you would like to support this service, please donate through the website or contact the R2R office.
Breakfast provision continues to be an extremely important part of our outreach work to rough sleepers. This year we saw a rise in the numbers accessing this service, up by 11% to 52 individuals, and in the number of breakfasts claimed, up by 19% to 901, over the 18 weeks we offered the service. We know that homelessness is an issue across the country and Poole is no exception to the ever-increasing numbers who find themselves without permanent accommodation.
If you can help us maintain this service, please consider making a donation now for the coming winter.
Donations in Kind
* Asda customers filled a shopping cart with food and goodies.
* Emmanuel Middle School Verwood Yr 7 sent us sleeping bags, gifts and packed bags.
* Event Alchemy brought in filled rucksacks and biscuits.
* Fitness First gave sleeping bags, clothes and food.
* Hayeswood First School, Wimborne, pupils gave a car boot full of harvest donations including toiletries, hats, scarves and socks.
* Sarah and Joe of Kingsbere Kitchen again provided a burger and hot dog lunch for the guys on Christmas Eve.
* Lisa knitted hats for the guys.
* Poole Contact Centre gave us shoeboxes for Christmas.
* Poole Wellbeing Collaborative sent in cakes.
* Princecroft Willis gave us teabags.
* Rab has given us 10 very warm sleeping bags.
* St John’s, Ashley Road gave toiletries.
* St Mary’s Catholic Church donated clothes.
* St Vincent de Paul Society sent us Cold Weather Packs for the guys.
* Two Saints donated useful items for the ladies.
* TwoToo sent 20 scarves.
* The Rucksack project gave us filled rucksacks.
* Skinner Street URC congregation and neighbours brought in Christmas parcels and presents.
* Turlin Moor Community School PTA collected food for our Drop-ins.
* Upton Methodists donated food and hats.
* Waitrose donated a turkey for Christmas Day lunch.
Donations that Keep on Giving
* Skinner St URC has kindly agreed to keep the hall and office rental costs for R2R at the same level as for the last two years.
* Big Yellow Self Storage in Poole has again confirmed its continued support of R2R by providing us with storage facilities, valued at £1981 a year.
Financial Support
* All Saints Wimborne Youth Group – £100 from cake sale
* BEST Training Collection – £54.73
* Broadstone Methodists and Women’s Fellowship – £250
* Broadstone URC – £244.88 from November Communion
* Canford Magna Men’s Bible Study Group – £50
* Canford Magna PCC – £200
* Church of Transfiguration – £500
* Event Alchemy – £700 instead of sending Christmas cards
* Holtwood Methodist Church – £153 instead of sending Christmas cards
* Holy Angels – £250 and £51 from two lunch clubs
* LV – £500
* Morden PCC – £178.16 from a carol service
* Poole Missional Communities – £140
* Poole Quakers – £100
* R2R stall at Longfleet Baptist Church craft sale – £62.47
* St Dunstan’s – Half the Christmas offering
* St Gabriel’s Hamworthy – £25
* St Mary’s RC, Wimborne Road – £100 from the congregation
* St Michael’s – £216.78 from their Nine Lessons and Carols
* St Paul’s Oakdale – £133.59 from carol singing
* St Peter’s – £450 from their Christmas collection
* St Peter’s congregation – £58.42 from small change, matched by PCC
* St James’ Church – £650
* St John’s Ashley Road men’s group – £100
* St John’s Broadstone PCC – £820
* Ultra Electronics Sports & Social Club – £88 from fundraising
* Waitrose customers – £159.84 for R2R carol singers
* William Temple Association, Bournemouth – £50
In addition, many individuals who prefer to remain anonymous gave money, including £2,000 in memory of Madge, a kind-hearted lady from Yorkshire. A collection taken after our Homeless Sunday Service raised a very generous £351.84.
Grants for Amos House
* Quaker Homeless Action – £3000
* Starbucks – £500
Grants for Breakfast
* Nationwide Building Society – £483
* The Salisbury Diocesan Social Welfare Fund, managed by the Dorset Community Foundation – £800
Many thanks to the Dorset Community Foundation who have awarded R2R a grant from the Salisbury Diocesan Social Welfare Fund: Round 1 January 2016 of £800. This will go towards the hot breakfast that we provide for verified rough sleepers in Poole through the Fisherman’s Cafe on Poole Quay. This is a very important service during the winter months, allowing the guys a few precious minutes in the warmth and hospitality of such a welcoming cafe.
http://www.dorsetcommunityfoundation.org
Calling all lovers of the Great British Breakfast, or croissants and pastries if you prefer.
Make a date with your friends this winter! Invite them round for breakfast in December, January or February. Ask them for a small contribution and donate the money you raise, no matter how large or small, to Routes to Roots’ annual Big Breakfast appeal.
For the sixth year, we will again join forces with the Fisherman’s Café on Poole Quay to provide rough sleepers with a hot breakfast. Last year this service cost us £3,398 to help 47 individuals on the streets of Poole. This year it could easily amount to £4000-5000, depending on the severity of the weather. The media have been speculating that we may be in for a long, bitterly cold winter because an El Niño is underway in the tropical Pacific so this service may be more vital than ever. Although the official Poole street count in November 2015 found just ten rough sleepers in the town, Routes to Roots has records on 20 people who were rough sleeping at that time – and they were only the people who came to us for help.
It costs £4.50 to provide a hot breakfast for a rough sleeper. Could you buy just one guy a breakfast for one day, or a whole week?
The Debs at The Fisherman Café took a well-deserved break to visit family. But they didn’t just shut up shop and leave our guys ‘out in the cold’ – No way!! They made arrangements with their neighbours on the High Street, Nicky and Dale at The Kings Head, to cover the days they would be away and to continue the cooked breakfast provision for rough sleepers. Nicky and Dale had a great time taking care of the guys for a few days and the guys really appreciated the breakfasts. So a very big Thank You to the Debs for organising and Dale and Nicky for providing.
https://www.facebook.com/kingshead.poole