Helping homeless and vulnerable people to weather the storms of life.

A new project to be run by the Shrewsbury Christian Centre Association (SCCA)
 Reg. Charity No. 501881

Patron: The Right Reverend Dr. Alan Smith, Bishop of Shrewsbury

Chairman: Rev. Christopher Walker

Latest News!!!!
The Shrewsbury Ark has now set sail. It will be open from Monday to Friday, 9.00am -5.00pm. Hot drinks, light snacks and a warm and friendly welcome to everyone

The "Shrewsbury Ark", the proposed Day Centre, opposite the station, which is being set up, and will be run, by the Shrewsbury Christian Centre Association, is now being prepared for opening. Thanks to the Borough Council and Severnside Housing, the place has been emptied of unwanted items, and is now being refurbished.
Phil Griffiths, our new manager, is energetically supervising this process and organising the furnishing and equipping of the establishment.

The official opening by the Mayor and Mayoress of Shrewsbury, is planned for Friday, 14th March at 4pm.

We sincerely hope that we shall enjoy the support of the Shrewsbury Christian community in this enterprise, which will seek to benefit vulnerable people in our town and area, and which will depend entirely for funds upon donations and grants, and for its work force upon volunteers (training given).

May you all receive abundant blessings from God,

The Shrewsbury Ark.

Our vision is to develop and operate a direct access day centre for the most vulnerable residents of Shrewsbury, offering them advice and support in a warm and welcoming environment. We will offer comfort whenever we can and will always care. We will try to help the vulnerable and those who feel excluded from society back onto their feet and encourage in them the self confidence and self -sufficiency to fend for themselves in the future.

We plan to staff the Centre with at least one permanent, paid member of staff together with volunteers selected for their warmth and non-judgemental approach to those less fortunate than themselves.

We will offer hot drinks, paticularly in the winter months, and a limied but nutricious mid-day meal to those who do not have the reasources to feed themselves properly.

Initially we plan to open five days per week, Monday to Friday during 'normal' working hours, but these hours may be adjusted as we gain in experience.

We hope to be able to use premises that we have identified close to the centre of Shrewsbury. There we shall aim to;

• Offer help and advice to homeless and vulnerable people including rough sleepers. We shall work with Housing Agencies and Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council to find homes for the homeless and will continue to support those we are able to help as they settle in.
• Offer comfort and support to those who feel excluded from society or who have difficulty with day -to -day necessities for whatever reason.
• Work with the Shrewsbury Prison Chaplaincy and the new Shrewsbury and Telford Community Chaplaincy to help ex -offenders find a welcome "on the outside" and to re-establish themselves in the community without re-offending.
• Liaise with local Drug, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Teams to help addicts and those in fear of addiction. This is particularly significant with the recent closure of the Gordana House Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre in the town.
• Liaise with local Mental Health Teams to provide somewhere in which those afflicted by mental health problems can find warmth and understanding.
• Liaise with the local Primary Care Trust to make medical advice available to those for whom GP surgeries may appear unwelcoming or judgemental.

To do all this we shall need yor prayers, your help and your support. Financial support, both to set up the project and then to run it, will of course be particularly helpful.

Contacts:
Hon. Sec. Tony Sharpe, 01743 236975
Hon. Tres. Ian Somerville 01743 874975

History of Shrewsbury Christian Centre Association (SCCA)

SCCA was established by a group of volunteers in 1972 to provide a focal point for the work of all Christian groups in Shrewsbury and to offer aid to those in need. At first the Centre operated on the site of the Old St. Chad's Church which was hardly ideal, having inadequate lighting, no heating, no water supply, no lavatory and no privacy for those seeking help.

After some years the Charity opened a Night Shelter for homeless men, first in the Old School House by the Welsh Bridge and latterly in Castle Foregate.

For a while we were partially supported by government funding but when that was withdrawn in 2006 we had no option but to closethe Shelter: the need to have staff present overnight, 365 days per year, together with other unavoidable costs, made it no longer affordable.

The Charity is run by a small group of volunteer Trustees who are motivated by their Christian faith to help the needy. However there will be no discrimination against any who wish to use the Shrewsbury Ark, on grounds of religion (or lack of t) or any other diversity.

 

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