Light in the Darkness

From Rebecca Palmer, our Fundraising and Communications Manager:

This month we are holding our annual celebration service, Light in the Darkness, at St Luke’s Church, Watford. The programme includes a short video looking at how New Hope brings light into the darkness – and currently, the world does look very bleak with the cost of living crisis, evictions, repossessions, escalating energy costs, addictions, loneliness, depression, anxiety, debt, hunger, and cold.

Last month, my alarm went off at 5.30am so that we could film the Outreach Plus team at the start of their early shift for this video. Together, we walked in the darkness around the centre of Watford, looking for people who were sleeping rough so that we could offer help and hope. We found a small number of people, including a man using a bag of cement as a pillow. While some of the people we found were incredibly grateful to see us and willingly accepted help, others were more reluctant to engage. They are not ready – yet – to accept our offer of accommodation.

Usually, this happens because of severe mental health challenges and when this occurs, we continue to offer care and support – slowly building up a relationship of trust. In December, one such person, who had been sleeping rough for many years, in and around Watford, and with whom the Outreach Plus team had been gently persisting in building a relationship, knocked – wet, cold, bedraggled – on the door of the Sanctuary asking for a room. We are all so grateful that this person eventually said yes and is now warm, safe, and dry.

Another example of how we bring light into the darkness was shared by one of my colleagues in the Tenancy Sustainment Team. He explained how TST is literally bringing light into darkness through their support of people living in their own homes struggling with the cost of living crisis – people are sitting in the dark and the cold because they are unable to pay their fuel bills. TST is there alongside people – bringing light into darkness.

This year, our annual celebration is on 20th March at 7.30pm at St Luke's Church, Watford. The event is open to all so please do tell your friends, neighbours and colleagues who may be interested in learning more about the impact of New Hope.