Faith in Action joined with the Bishop Gilpin Community Choir and St. John the Baptist Church in Wimbledon on Thursday night to raise money for the Merton Homelessness Project’s Winter Night Shelter and Drop In Service.
The choir, directed by Emily Jones, sang a mix of classic Christmas hymns and jazzier numbers such as My Snowman and Me. The choir, which at it’s full strength comprises up to 50 members, we’re decked out in their best Christmas outfits and sang with uplifting energy. There was also a pianist accompaniment for some songs, and thoughtfully chosen poems in between numbers, reflecting the themes of community, charity and of course, Christmas.
The audience included families and people of all ages, who were generous enough to raise a fantastic £1400 for the charity over the course of the evening.
Every year, Merton Council carry out a count of homeless people in the Borough, on one night, and only noting people visibly rough sleeping. For 2023/24, the count was just 13, which is sadly thought to be a huge underestimation. During the same period, the people who used Faith in Action’s Drop In sessions topped 73 users.
The Merton Homelessness Project grew from a collaboration between local faith groups. Currently, their team consists of around 50 volunteers of all faiths and no faith, enabling the running of the Homeless Drop-In.
In 2022, the Project merged with Merton Winter Night Shelter. The shelter provides emergency accommodation for 12-14 people between December and March across 12 hosting venues.
These services receive some council funding but mainly rely on public donations to be able to keep running. At Christmas, special events such as this concert generate a significant portion of this vital income.
The Drop In service is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.00am to 2.30pm, where users can enjoy breakfast, a two-course hot lunch, do laundry, access showers, the internet and hot drinks all day. Rough sleepers can also receive food parcels, sleeping bags, underwear and donated clean clothes. The team also advises on accommodation and job searching, and provides access to other services such as alcohol and drug dependency support, medical help, refugee advice, amongst other services, as well as leave to remain guidance.
Anyone can become homeless. With the cost of living rising and the rate of those looking for employment increasing, it’s all too easy. Rough sleepers experience the worse side of humanity and are often met with judgement when seeking assistance, forcing them to survive in cold and dangerous environments. The homeless population has an average age of death of 47 – a staggering 30 years younger than the average 77 for the general population.
You can find more information of Faith in Action and the Merton Homelessness Project here, including information on how to donate and volunteering opportunities.