Tonight I will be taking part, for the second time, in an interesting experiment addressed to the problem of homelessness. It is called “Inn Churches”. During the winter months, when the weather is bad, and especially cold, there is an agreement among several local churches, where they have suitable premises, to open the church overnight and offer free accommodation to the homeless. I took part once last year, and I’ve decided to sign up for it again. It is an interesting experience.
The offer of hospitality circulates around a large group of churches in the area, where they have the space, facilities for cooking and serving food, and also provision for showering. Each institution takes on the responsibility for one week, and it is staffed by a rota of volunteers. I believe that, as last year, there will be about 30 homeless people taking advantage of the offer. A supply of beds and other necessary equipment is held by the charity, and circulates to the hosts as they take on the responsibility. Not surprisingly, volunteers are needed just to be in attendance overnight, as well as people to cook, drive or run the administration. I’m in it for only one night because the supply of volunteers is quite robust.
I think that is a great idea, and I am not clear whether it is widespread throughout the country, or just local. I’ll have to enquire tonight. I’m not even sure for how long it has been running.
The staff duties overnight only require you to be awake for about a half of the twelve-hour shift, so I will get some sleep. Even so, I think that it might be quite challenging because I had a strenuous afternoon in the garden, finishing the task of cutting back excessive growth on some of our trees. It is nice to know that my skills and equipment from rock-climbing can be adapted to another field of activity, keeping me safe up a ladder. Now there is a huge mound of brushwood to be shifted, when we have another fine week-end.
At the 70th. birthday party for a friend last night I found myself in conversation with her daughter, who is trying to develop a career as a writer. She has already published at least one novel, quite a few short stories, and some poetry. She’s pretty good, and I’m sure she will make it in the end. I suggested that it might be good if she could find an agent …. and was rewarded for my suggestion by quite a sharp look. She has already written to twenty-five of them! At least I managed to extract a crumb of comfort from the situation, in that I guess it is a relief to hear that it is not only painters who have to struggle to get some kind of recognition. Anybody who is involved in the creative arts has to be prepared to face a long slog, and it is only a few who get that big break early in life.
For all our problems, however, both of us have a roof over our heads at night.