As we look back over 2019, we are extremely grateful to all our stakeholders and more importantly to our God, who has been faithful, kind, generous and loving, for yet another fruitful year. 

This year we began by launching Safe Space, a new service addressing the needs of homeless people in Derby.  Last month The Independent reported ‘a number of deaths drawing a focus on the devastating consequences of the UK’s spiraling homelessness figures, which show rough sleeping has surged by 165% in the past eight years, hitting 4,677 last year. Alarmingly, experts say this data underestimates the scale of the problem’. This is certainly our experience in Derbyshire, but we are thrilled to be working alongside central and local government, the Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner, and other agencies in our efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. So far we have seen over 100 people engage with this new service. 

We were very excited to be able celebrate 30 years of ministry in Derby; we give thanks to the Lord for Geoff and Maggie Holland, our founders, and Ally and Nicky Kay for laying a solid foundation ready for our exponential growth. Alongside this we also celebrated 10 years of transforming lives through our Street Pastors. 

Our DCM family has grown over the year seeing numbers of staff reach 30, with a volunteer team of over 500. My thanks go out to them. We simply couldn’t transform lives without their dedication and commitment. The acquisition of 10 Normanton Road, enabled by some very generous people to whom we owe an enormous ‘thank you’, means that soon the team will be located in the same building. This building will be a platform to enable us to address causes and move people from chaos to contributing members of society. 

 

Please pray with us; come and volunteer if you have time; and indeed invest your financial fruits into this Kingdom venture, as we look forward to 2020 and how God will use us to transform more lives in this city.  

Thank you so much and may I wish you a Merry Christmas and joyous New Year! 

Rev’d Julio RM Abraham, MTh, AJP (GIA)