The Canterbury Community Shelter (CCS) returned for its 8th year of running, opening its doors from 1st December 2017 until 28th February 2018.

During this time, 51 different clients made use of a combined 1234 overnight bed spaces in local church halls.

We are delighted to announce that during this period 39% of those who stayed in the shelter were able to find a more permanent form of accommodation.

You can read the full report by clicking here

 

Campaign Kent CIC Social Policy Report- Please also find a report compiled by Kelly Napier, director at Campaign Kent (and a Catching Lives trustee) with detailed case studies of some of the situations, for example hospital discharge to street homelessness, that our shelter guests faced this winter, and also an analysis of the data collected (and how it compares to last year).

This can be downloaded here

 

Thank you to everyone who supported us, including our volunteers,  the seven church venues,  all who undertook fundraising, and all who donated items, for helping us make the shelter a success and for your part in helping some of the most vulnerable people in our community find accommodation, or at least find shelter and safety during the 3 months.

Volunteer with next year’s shelter

If you would like to help out next year, please email ccs@catchinglives.org

Alternatively you can pop in to Canterbury Open Centre to chat.

What we need currently are most in need of is to hear from anyone who would like to help with fundraising for the coming shelter, so if interested please get in touch (we can provide you with help to organise events, items to do it and will do our best to pop along to any events that are organised!).

 

There remain issues with the number of people being released from local prisons and hospitals without any where to stay and with the increased demand for private rented accommodation we are seeing a number of clients who have not been treated well by their landlords.

Canterbury Community Shelter can continue to make a difference with local people (such as our volunteers, donors or supporters) making real and measurable inroads on a local level, to a national problem. We couldn’t do it without your support.

If you would like any further information about the Canterbury Community Shelter you can email  ccs@catchinglives.org for details.