Related blogs
Content linked below doesn't necessarily represent the views of the Jesus Army
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Seven Stories of Forgotten People
Julia Faire puts us in the shoes of seven visitors to the Coventry Jesus Centre.Published: 29th Apr 2013
THESE ARE hard times for the poor. Not many would argue with that. UK Government austerity measures have meant that increasing numbers of people are unable to make ends meet. Food banks are busier than ever (according to an article in the Guardian, three open every week) and recent headlines reveal that child poverty is again on the increase. Over 6 million people are unemployed or underemployed and benefits and the minimum wage rates are falling well behind that of inflation. Key charities are struggling financially, leaving some of our most vulnerable citizens badly in need of support.
At Coventry Jesus Centre ‘The Bridge’ drop-in is open five mornings a week: free breakfasts, showers and clothes are provided and... Comments Read more » -
Seeing me helping there has given them hope
Client becomes volunteer at Jesus CentrePublished: 24th Sep 2007
Once a client at the Coventry Jesus Centre, John Walker is now a helper there. He is interviewed by Fiona Liston.
FIONA: How would you describe yourself a year ago?
JOHN: I had a job, but in the evenings was going out selling drugs. I was living with my fiancee and baby daughter. We were going to get married, but when she found out I was dealing, that was the end of the relationship.
Why did you come to the Jesus Centre?
Someone at the 'Cyrenians' told me that it was a place to get a cheap breakfast. I was homeless at the time so I went along. I thought it would be like the Oliver Twist scenario, but people were surprisingly friendly. I was amazed...
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Bond scheme changes lives
Val Hook, a Support Worker at Coventry Jesus Centre, reports on one of their success storiesPublished: 23rd May 2007About 18 months ago Claire* came into the Jesus Centre in a very desperate state. She was a heroin addict and had four children all taken into care because she was homeless and an addict.
Claire asked if we could help her sort her life out and find her somewhere to live, so we put her onto the Jesus Centre's Bond Scheme and helped her to go to the community drugs team to get her off heroin.
The Bond Scheme started Claire off with some fairly basic accommodation. We needed to see if she really wanted to change her lifestyle and move forward. She did: she regularly came to the Jesus Centre for support. Since then we have helped her move into a two bedroom flat.
Claire is now free from drugs and has two of her...
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