The Coop have increased the amount that they are prepared to match fund to £5000 from the previous £3000. That makes a huge difference to a charity like the Beacon which is solely funded from donations like this. If we are able to increase what we achieve through this initiative it will enable us to divert some of our limited resources away from constantly fund raising to much needed practical support.
We are developing the services provided by the Beacon as we realise that boredom is one of the greatest issues for those we support. Additional funds would allow us to provide more activities that would engage their minds and build esteem, keeping them sane this winter, as well as warm.
The Beacon Project supports the homeless & vulnerably housed adults in Mansfield. We are based on Wood Street, and are part of the ministry of St John's with St Mary's.
We support over 120 of the most vulnerable adults within our community each month, serving over 400 hot meals, and providing food parcels, clean clothes and access to a shower & laundry. We encounter a wide variety of physical and mental health issues, addictions, food poverty & homelessness. We are a warm, safe space where people can open up and feel valued. We encourage engagement with a variety of support services - street outreach, housing, health care providers, DWP, drugs & alcohol workers and to get help gaining settled status.
We are crowdfunding to raise money to keep the Beacon running through this cold winter when the cost of living crisis is biting hardest. Our service users are being impacted severely. We have seen an increase in numbers coming for hot meals and food parcels. We are also opening on a Saturday morning for the first time through the winter to provide a warm space on a day when currently no other services are operating. The Beacon operates out of an old and very cold building that takes a lot to keep warm, especially with the temperatures we've had recently down to -5 deg C.
Through crowdfunding we hope to cover the increased costs of both fuel and food resulting from the combined impact of greater demand for the existing services, and opening on an additional day.