News and Updates

Dear <<First Name>>:

Happy new year!
Thank you to all volunteers and staff for your hard work in ensuring the shelters ran smoothly over Christmas and New Year. 
Many of your shelters welcomed one-off volunteers during this time so we also want to extend our thank you to the volunteer teams for making the newcomers feel so welcome. Here is a quote from one volunteer:

"This New Year’s Eve I volunteered at one of Glass Door’s night shelters; I helped with the preparation of the food, I served and sat next to our guests. It was a one of a kind, amazing experience. I had my best New Year’s Eve dinner and felt fulfilled in ways I had never felt before. That night put me in the right place, and I am definitely looking forward to going back!” - Iliana Kefalidou

If you would like to include messages in future postings, please do let us know.

Fortnightly updates

6 January 2020

Shelter update:

• We are now operating a fairly short waiting list so can likely accommodate those seeking shelter within 1-2 working days, dependent on location preference.
• However, we are rapidly re-filling places with those who left Crisis at Christmas and other short-term shelters over the festive period.
• Shelter Managers have been working closely with caseworkers to get the best outcomes for guests, including a pregnant guest who has been in and out of the shelter.
• A kind supporter has provided shelter venue The Vineyard Life Church with enough camp beds for all guests to use during their stay there.

Casework updates:

• Two guests in Wandsworth have been assisted into work and one was reconnected just before Christmas.
• A non-shelter guest who we supported at Ace of Clubs and a Wandsworth shelter guest have both moved into accommodation. 
• Employability coordinator Jay supported a Romanian guest to start work with a cleaning agency before Christmas, and Glass Door assisted with accommodation in a hostel as the hours did not suit a stay in the shelters. He has now earned enough to continue staying in the hostel on a self-sufficient basis. 

Other news: 

• Our Christmas Appeal: we raised a record amount of over £60,000 which more than covers the costs for 170 people per night to stay in the shelters over the two-week Christmas period. Thank you to all those who supported and spread the word. Watch the video about the appeal on Twitter.
• Going Green Appeal: a corporate supporter, Give Clarity, has kindly responded to our appeal and is covering the cost of upgrading all single-use materials in the shelters, including plastic cups and take-away containers. Find out more here.
• Glass Door in the news: it was a bumper few weeks with full stories on the rise in demand for Glass Door shelters in several leading titles. The Evening Standard and the Independent also shone a spotlight on what happens in a shelter on Christmas Day. Read the full stories from Huffington Post, the Evening Standard and the Independent and the Evening Standard.
• The World’s Big Sleep Out - Thanks to the support of a longstanding volunteer and their awareness-raising for Glass Door, we are due to receive £64,000 from the London World’s Big Sleep out which was held on Trafalgar Square in December.

Upcoming Event:

• Wednesday 12 February – London Night Shelter Service at St Paul’s Cathedral with Housing Justice. Our very own overnight project worker Eddie and Volunteer Coordinator Steve Lawrence will be speaking at the event. Attendance is free and open to all with more info here.