R2R clients Sid, Michael and David are back at Holton Lee, bringing our allotment back to life after a period of quiet because of illness. The guys have been busy digging over the ground and preparing for seeding and planting. David wants to give back to Routes to Roots because we have been giving to him. Michael says he wants to get fitter and enjoys the digging. Sid has sown a donation of seeds from the Kew Grow Wild project as a border around the edge of the plot. When he did this last year, it proved a very good deterrent to pests.
R2R supporter Highworth Insurance has decided to collect for us once a month on their dress-down day, resulting in a first donation of £125. Many thanks to all the staff there.
www.highworthinsurance.co.uk
Broadstone Players Theatre Company has again invited us to fundraise during their next play which will run from Tuesday 17th to Saturday 21st May. For every person who buys a ticket and names Routes to Roots, they will give us a donation of £5. The charity evening is Thursday 19th May but you can also go to the Friday 20th evening, Saturday 21st matinee or evening performances and the donation of £5 per person will still be made.
This year’s play is ‘Gaslight’, the well known thriller set in Victorian times: a costume drama, great suspense, an entertaining evening or afternoon out and, of course, the opportunity to raise money for R2R!
Tickets cost £8 and the matinee ticket includes tea and cake during the interval. There is a licenced bar at all evening performances.
Reserve your tickets and nominate R2R for £5 a ticket:
Email: honsec@broadstoneplayers.co.uk
Tel: 01202 678449
Charity tickets are not available at their ticket sales outlets.
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.
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who will assist the Chair and Board of Routes to Roots in the administration of our Charity and who will coordinate the Charity’s volunteers and drop-ins.
You will have previous admin experience, a thorough knowledge of MS Word and Excel, enjoy working as part of a team and have good communication skills, both written and oral. You will enjoy working with people from all walks of life and engaging with them as volunteers. You will also be able to promote the work of the Charity to those you meet. If you have previous experience of charity work, that would be beneficial.
Salary from £10,400 per annum (20 hours per week / 52 weeks) depending on experience. The initial appointment will be for a period of six months.
Closing date for applications is 30th April 2016.
Interviews will be held during the week commencing 9th May 2016.
If you have not heard from us by 5th May 2016, we thank you for your interest but must advise that you have not been successful on this occasion.
Download the job description: 2016 R2R PT Job Description
Download the application form: 2016 R2R JOB Application Form 2016
Routes to Roots is delighted to thank a player from AFC Bournemouth for an amazing donation which he has specified is to fund our new supported housing, Amos House, over the coming year. Amos House has offered accommodation to three of Poole’s rough sleepers since last December. We are providing practical, emotional and spiritual support to them as they take this first step back into society, with the aim of eventually helping them to find independent housing. The house is an ongoing cost to Routes to Roots as we are responsible for upkeep, maintenance and other management expenses. So, this is very generous and R2R is very happy that this Premier League player has recognised the vital support we provide to serve the needs of homeless people of all faiths in Poole. Up the Cherries!
http://www.afcb.co.uk/
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
Christmas Day lunch saw 21 homeless and vulnerably housed people come along to enjoy a Christmas meal and quiz. They also received presents and other goodies donated by local churches, schools and individual well-wishers – a real ’12 Days of Christmas’ round of gifts though possibly more useful!
* Sarah and Joe of Kingsbere Kitchen again provided a burger and hot dog lunch for the guys on Xmas Eve.
* Waitrose donated a turkey for Christmas Day lunch.
* Asda customers filled a shopping cart with food and goodies.
* Poole Contact Centre gave us shoeboxes.
* Skinner Street URC congregation and neighbours brought in parcels and presents.
* Emmanuel Middle School Verwood Yr 7 sent us sleeping bags, gifts and packed bags.
* Event Alchemy brought in filled rucksacks and biscuits.
* Two Saints donated useful items for the ladies.
* Upton Methodists donated food and hats.
* The Rucksack project gave us filled rucksacks.
* St Mary’s Catholic Church donated clothes.
* St John’s, Ashley Road gave toiletries.
The Trustees of Routes to Roots are delighted to invite you to a service of Celebration and Thanksgiving for the work being carried out in Poole to alleviate the problems facing Homeless people in our town. We will be particularly celebrating the fact that at the end of the year we were able to take 3 vulnerable individuals off the streets and offer them supported accommodation in our very own ‘Amos House’. We are excited that Pastor Pete, founder of the charity Green Pastures which made this possible, will be joining us as our guest speaker. Following the service there will be displays, videos and refreshments to enjoy. Trustees, volunteers and some of our homeless friends will all be there. PLEASE come and MEET us and PRAY with us that TOGETHER we will hear more about what GOD is calling us to do here in POOLE.
Sunday 24 January 2016, 3.00pm-5.00pm
United Reformed Church, Skinner St., Poole BH15 1RQ
This Christmas we say a fond farewell to Eddie and Sue who will be cooking Christmas Day lunch for the final time this year and ‘retiring’ from team leading and volunteering after many years of service. Thank you for all their support and kindness to our clients over the years. At this season of goodwill we also say thank you to Waitrose who donated a turkey for Christmas Day lunch, Waitrose customers who rewarded our carol singing efforts with over £150, Asda customers who filled a shopping cart with food, Poole Contact Centre for shoeboxes, and Skinner Street URC congregation and neighbours for parcels and presents for the guys.
Sue and Eddie at work on a summer BBQ for the guys
