VOTE FOR ST WILFRID'S TODAY!

Help our campaign - Vote for St Wilfrid's!

TODAY and today only they have the opportunity to win £50,000 via ITV's People's Millions.

All you have to do is call 0871 62 68 144 today between 9am - midnight and place your vote. The charity with the most votes will win £50,000.

For more information visit www.stwilfidscentre.org.

Thank you for your support!

Vote for St Wilfrid's Centre

Sheffield charity - St Wilfrid's Centre, who support the homeless, vulnerable and socially excluded, has an amazing opportunity to win £50,000 worth of funding from the People's Millions.

The only way they can get this money though is through a people's vote on Thursday 25th November.  St Wilfrid's are up against a national charity and who ever gets the most votes on the day wins £50,000.

The telephone number will not be released until 9am on the morning of Thursday 25th November and the winner will be announced that evening on the People's Million on ITV.

We will email out the number on the morning of the 25th and one phone call from YOU could help change the lives of many local Sheffield People - just one phone call.

SheffieldVolunteering will be helping St Wilfrid's with the campaign.

If you would like to find out more about the work of St Wilfrid's visit http://www.stwilfridscentre.org/

Make sure you put Thursday 25th November in your diary and remember to vote for St Wilfred's Centre.

*Phone calls cost 10p per call from a BT line

Interview with Kevin P Bradley, Director of St Wilfrid's Centre

by Imogen Lassen

"The money would help us reach out to even more people and improve their quality of life by teaching them new skills and increasing their confidence and self-esteem."

"When we first opened we saw two or three people coming in daily for something to eat but now we can offer a 3 course lunch and café along with many welfare and personal development activities."

• “There’s only ONE!! St Wilfrid's Centre” How does this reflect the ethos of the centre?

We adopted the slogan ‘There’s only ONE’ many years ago as people who visited repeatedly told us that there was a special atmosphere about the place. It is probably true to say that we have more services under one roof than any other Centre in Britain. That’s why there really is only one St Wilfrid’s Centre!

How have you seen St Wilfrid's grow since you joined the team in 1991?

I have seen the project evolve from being based in the presbytery part of the old church building with only a few rooms and with limited services: café, lunch and sitting room. The place is now like the tardis having extended into the old church and basement areas with different activities taking place simultaneously. When we first opened we saw two or three people coming in daily for something to eat but now we can offer a 3 course lunch and café along with many welfare and personal development activities.

What would you say to someone who believed that helping the homeless is a worthless cause because “they get themselves into that position”?

I would say that everybody has a story and if you heard some of the horrendous things that had happened to people in the past you could be horrified. I really don’t know how some people have got through this life with the things that have happened to them and the vast majority are not responsible for their situation. When I was talking to a primary school a few weeks ago a six year old girl stood up and asked the most profound question I had ever been asked when she said ‘How do they feel on the inside?’, I still feel after twenty years in this work that I cannot fully answer that question.

• What does £50,000 mean to St Wilfrid's?

The £50,000 prize money is a once in a lifetime opportunity to gain new machinery in our Skills Workshop. As you can imagine it is not easy to raise funds in the present economic climate and any money I can is ploughed into continuing existing service and I could never envisage us having £50,000 to spare for machinery. The money would help us reach out to even more people and improve their quality of life by teaching them new skills and increasing their confidence and self-esteem.

• Of all the products that the centre produces to sell, my favourite is the football clocks. Which is your favourite?

My favourites too are the football clocks and especially the ones made for our beloved Sheffield United F.C. The clocks are unique and are not produced in this style by any other manufacturer in the UK. It is usually plastic imports from China that sell in club's shops and not the handmade ones of quality that we produce. It may be of interest that on a recent visit to the Centre, Nick Clegg was amazed to find that we were making clocks for Chengdu Blades, a Chinese club owned by Sheffield United, perhaps there aren’t many British concerns that can claim they are exporting to China.

• St Wilfrid's has done a lot to reach out to minority communities recently, encouraging people from all cultures to visit the centre. Why do you think it is important to represent the diversity that Sheffield has to offer?

We think that all people are equal, regardless of their creed, colour, religion and we embrace and welcome such diversity at the Centre. All people have value and it is such a nice thing to be able to bring different cultures together helping to break down barriers and myths that may prevail.

• The centre works very hard, do you ever get time to play and celebrate your work?

We all work very hard but I am very much of the opinion that we should have fun first and always tell the staff at the Centre that it is important to enjoy our work and this comes across to the clients. We also enjoy discos, singing and dancing and organise a volunteers’ dinner together with several staff team days per year where we go out, spend time and laugh together. Also my little indulgence is going to the football and staff and volunteers are always welcome to come to the matches with the clients, free of charge, courtesy of SUFC.

• What do you think is the key to the centre’s success?

We seem to have found some sort of secret of helping people feel better and however we have arrived at this I don’t quite know. All I can say is that we have the most wonderful staff and volunteers that make it a special place. It is all about what you give and as the Beatles once said ‘The love you give is equal to the love you receive’.

• Give us one statistic, which reflects the hard work the centre puts in every year.

Up to 80 people attend every day and we probably make a difference in some way to each one of them. A nice statistic is the Annual Christmas Dinner where over 100 clients attend. The party is usually held on 23 December and for many of their clients, this is their Christmas Day. Each one of them gets a slap up Christmas Dinner and a lovely present. Volunteers give up their time to serve and wait on the clients at this festive feast and the staff put on a show for their entertainment.

• When was the last time you had a bit of a giggle with one of your clients?

We recently asked one of our older clients who carries out great work for the Centre looking after the gardens how his shoulder was and he replied ‘about next Thursday’. Many laughs are shared every day with the clients – too many to recount – and the joy and happiness shines through.

• Finally, why do you think that students of Sheffield should vote for St Wilfrid's on Thursday 25th November?

The students of Sheffield are the future and I think that they indeed do care for the less fortunate. St Wilfrid’s provides placement opportunities and it is tremendous to have vibrant young people working with us. The students should vote for St Wilfrid’s because by working together we can build a better future for all people, even those who are vulnerable. There’s Only One St Wilfrid’s Centre!! Working in Association with University of Sheffield students.

Case Study: Pam

Pam endured many years of isolation and struggled to cope at home before turning to alcohol for comfort. In addition to loneliness Pam’s physical condition deteriorated because of the drinking and she also developed cataracts which made it difficult for her to clean her home and take care of herself. She was terrified of the minor surgery involved in correcting her eyesight.

For many years Pam lived close to her teenage daughter who had suffered health problems because of a heart defect and this added to her stress. Pam was referred to St Wilfrid’s for help and although apprehensive she began to place her faith and trust in the staff at the centre. She joined the education classes including computing and as a result gained an entry level certificate which was probably the first qualification she had ever received in her life.

It was our intention to help increase Pam’s self esteem and boost her confidence and as an incentive we arranged for Pam and her daughter to make a very special visit to the World Snooker Championship finals at the Crucible Theatre. It was like giving Pam the world as she said she had never been in a theatre before and she felt really privileged.

Feeling more in control of her life and more able to make decisions herself, Pam realised it was time to make a positive change in her life. She knew it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage alone so when a vacancy arose in a supported accommodation block she decided to take the place. She is now managing to put her life back on track and continues to attend classes at St Wilfrid’s.

FAQs

What is the Purpose of St Wilfrid's Centre?

St Wilfrid's Centre for the homeless, vulnerable and socially excluded is a day centre offering welfare services and educational classes.

St Wilfrid's is a caring community based on Christian values where marginalised and vulnerable people can find understanding, practical assistance, a sense of belonging and the support to regain their self esteem and overcome barriers of social exclusion.

Who Do You Cater For?

We work with men and women broadly described as 'vulnerable'.

We work with men and women (at a ratio of around 75:25) broadly described as ‘vulnerable’. This means that some people who come to us are homeless or are likely to have accommodation that they are struggling to manage. Mental health problems affect a significant number of our clients, this can be caused by abuse, mild spectrum disorders, loneliness or just the basic inability to cope with day to day living in our modern society. Many clients have learning disabilities, many struggle with lifeskills and literacy, cannot cope with structure and have rejected other service providers. If we were not here for them, they simply would not go anywhere else. Whilst we do see people recovering from alcohol or substance abuse, St Wilfrid’s operates as a dry centre. To protect vulnerable clients we therefore have an “access by interview” policy and our 'Doormen' control entry to the building.

What is the Centre's Income Spent On?

We ask you to support St Wilfrid's Centre but do you know how the financial support provided is actually spent?

Where does your money go? Here are some facts that may be of interest, we:

• have 17,000 attendances each year, 60-80 clients per day
• provide 44,200 meals and snacks each year
• provide 113,000 cups of tea or coffee each year
• have showers, personal hygiene and washing facilities
• run a clothing store
• offer warmth, support and a safe healthy environment
• help clients meet, make friends and re-enter society
• help clients regain their personal identity
• provide leisure activities and recreation
• support clients with learning difficulties or mental health problems
• support asylum seekers
• help clients interact with the statutory services and other agencies
• provide counselling, or advice on benefits, housing and health matters
• assist clients to regain their independence and self-determination
• offer training in independent living skills – cooking, budgeting, literacy
• provide skills training in a fully equipped Skills Workshop
• offer structured activities and interest groups
• offer certificated training courses in Computing, ITC and Food Hygiene
• encourage self-esteem and help boost personal confidence
• support clients to seek voluntary or paid work if and when appropriate

Clients take as long as they need before moving on to independent living. No other provision in the North of England offers so much on one site.

It costs £250,000 to run the Centre each year and every donated penny helps.

How Can You Help Me?

If you are homeless, vulnerable or socially excluded we may be able to provide the support you need.

We work with the homeless to find them short or long term accommodation, or just overnight temporary shelter. There is an acute shortage of temporary accommodation in Sheffield and sometimes we can only provide those living rough with a sleeping bag and a food parcel. Those presenting at our front door asking for help may be distressed, hungry and alone. Sometimes they are also challenging and confrontational. Sometimes, they just need a little help on that day, and we never see them again, equally we may work with some clients for several years before they are ready to 'move on'.

We recognise that mental health problems or learning disabilities affect a significant number of our clients. Many struggle with basic skills including lifeskills and literacy. We specifically work with clients who cannot cope with structure and who have rejected other service providers. If we were not here for them, they would probably not go anywhere else. We work with the statutory services and other agencies to provide the appropriate support.

You may be vulnerable for a wide variety of reasons. We will work with you to overcome your problems, help to restore your self esteem and support your return to normal living.