I was asked by Revd Dr. Crispin White to produce a 500 word article for IMAgenda, which is an Industrial Mission magazine. The next edition, which Crispin is responsible for, will be devoted to the issue of Poverty. Recognizing that Barking & Dagenham is one of the poorer London Boroughs - Crispin asked if I could do a 'true life story' reflecting the borough and its needs.
As a Trustee for the Thames Side Support Centre an initative which started in 1983 by the local church (Christ Church) in response to consulations with residents at a time of unemployment, low skills and severe poverty and that still 25 years later meets those need; I went and spoke with Co-ordinator Dianne and the Chairmen Revd Pearson and together we produced a short article for Crispin.
The centre has recently been awarded the MATRIX award and alot of work had to go into achieving this by the staff of the centre. Included in the report produced for this award is a wonderful quote from a service user who said:-
"You never need to make an appointment to come here. It is a drop in service that means you can call in whenever the world seems to be falling in on you, they never turn you away.." "The nicest thing is if you have to walk away before they have checked things out. You knnow they will get back to you. A phone call or whatever and they do i when they said they would."
God bless the team at the Advice Centre.
Co-ordinator Mrs Dianne Challis & Chairperson for the Committee Revd David Pearson