Homeless families to receive some festive cheer
Hostel’s share of vouchers
BRINGING festive cheer to Catherine Booth House this Christmas will be a share of vouchers from The News’ Comfort and Joy Campaign.
Thanks to donations by members of the public, the hostel run by The Salvation Army in Portsmouth is one of 11 charities benefiting from the campaign, run in partnership with Churches Homeless Action.
Gillian Suckley, service manager at Catherine Booth House, said: ‘We provide accommodation for families who have been unintentionally made homeless with support needs.
‘We are always full and always have people on the waiting list.’
‘We also provide a life skills programme to help them eventually move back into the community with a network of support.’
The accommodation block in St Paul’s Road, Southsea, opened in 2009 and is home to 21 families – couples with children, single male and female parent families and expectant mothers – who live in self-contained, furnished flats.
For these individuals who may have no family and friends to support them, Christmas can be a difficult time of year.
‘Christmas can be a hard period,’ adds Gillian.
‘Some of the families haven’t got a family network so a lot of them stay at Catherine Booth House over Christmas.’
Catherine Booth House will be receiving a share of £5 gift vouchers when the Comfort and Joy Campaign concludes at the end of this week which will be shared among the individuals housed there.
Gillian, 58, said: ‘The vouchers will be used with the support of staff to help Christmas be a happier, festive time for them.
‘Every family is unique, so some will spend it on food, maybe gifts or something else.
‘Some of the families have quite a few children so it will be individual to each family.’
Vouchers are now being counted before being handed to charity representatives at a carol service held at midday on Friday at St Mary’s Church in Fratton Road, Portsmouth.
There will be the chance to listen to people from the agencies speak about what the campaign means to individuals and families.