Spring 2022 Newsletter

Combating Against Rising Costs

The combined effects of Brexit, Covid and now the war in Ukraine, have worked together to have a detrimental impact on the vulnerable in our city.

During this coming year, we are expecting the greatest need we have known since our inception over 30 years ago in 1989. We ask for your support in standing with us to show God’s love and grace to those finding themselves in unthinkable situations today in our city. The rising cost of living and an inflation rate of 7% is forecast to place more people onto the breadline than ever before. There will be greater demand for our debt and benefit advice in our Jubilee clinics to liberate those burdened by the weight of unmanageable debt. There will be greater demand for our Food Bank and Community Shop, which provides those who cannot afford such simple essentials such as food and sanitary goods with the compassion and dignity to choose their own from our free shop.

We expect to see a greater number of people finding themselves unable to make ends meet and resorting to sleeping rough and sofa surfing. We expect to see an increase in the number of people succumbing to the temptation of drugs and alcohol to escape their new reality. There is no stereotype for the vulnerable. These are the people amongst us who are called by some as ’mother’, ‘father’, ‘nanny’, ‘grandad’, ‘son’, ‘daughter’. Poverty has no discretion. Of those who are recipients of our debt advice services, over 79% have children and 82% are single parents. Of those we have helped when facing eviction, over 68% are families with children. We are expecting these figures to rise over the coming year. We are great believers that in each of us there is a call to live out a life of purpose and meaning, for we are made in His image. We are commissioned by Him to care for the widows and the orphans and to serve the needs of the vulnerable.

Derby City Mission exists to inspire, orchestrate and deliver support to the vulnerable, so that they too may be recipients of the same grace that we ourselves have received. Put another way, we are nothing more than a vessel, or a channel. Without you we are nothing.

Today more than ever, the city needs your creativity, your passion, your love, your partnership in volunteering and of course, your
financial support. We need administrators, leaders, carers, cleaners, shelf stackers and financial givers!!

COME AS YOU ARE!

We will find a way to support you in finding a way to live out your calling. Together we are the body of Christ, ready to put everything on the line to demonstrate the compassion and love of Christ to those in need, to those who do not yet know the same love and hope that we have been privileged to receive.

JOIN US!

As a charity, there are so many schemes where we can benefit from your individual spending. In most cases, you may have to link our charity to your online account or make a simple change on where you buy your milk and bread. Here are a few ways that Derby City Mission can benefit from your spending, without you even knowing!

When you’re spending on Amazon, sign in to smile.amazon.co.uk on your desktop or mobile phone browser.

Go to Your Account and select the option to Change your Charity to Derby City Mission.

It’s the same Amazon we all love, but every time you spend, through Amazon Smile, we will receive 0.5% of your eligible purchases!

The ‘Give As You Live’ website has teamed up with over 4,500 online and high street names to support Derby City Mission.

When you shop via giveasyoulive.com, we receive a donation from the retailer as a thank you, at no cost to you!

The Dignity of Choice

Through the Food for Thought Alliance and in partnership with Love Your Neighbour, Derby City Mission has been offered the opportunity
to open a Community Shop for the pilot period of one year. We opened this shop at a small capacity in October 2021.

Our foodbank, like most others, has been in such high demand over the last two years that the more intensive work with some clients has been difficult to achieve. Work such as advice on budgeting long term and helping to be a support to those people who are lonely and isolated. The pandemic has led to further redundancies, more debt, and increased social isolation and we are on the cusp of a wave of evictions, cost of living crisis and unmanageable debt.

One client who no longer needs to use the shop but still pops in to see us for a cuppa every week said “Everyone is so kind and helpful, I don’t know where I would be without their support”.

FOOD POVERTY AND FOOD INSECURITY DESTROYS HOPE

Many clients tell us that having to ask for a food parcel demonstrates to them that they
have hit rock bottom. So, it has long been our desire to bring some choice, dignity and hope back to people who feel that this has all been taken away from them. The Community Shop would start this process and, because it will run alongside a scaled-down café, it will offer further support, teaching, prayer and fellowship, in partnership with volunteers from churches across the city. The Community Shop is another practical demonstration of our mission and builds on our existing and long-standing foundations.

At the end of March, we had the official opening of the Community Shop with Liz Fothergill the Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire in attendance. It was a great opportunity to get the word out there about what we do and to encourage people to come forward if they need help. All clients are encouraged to engage with our Jubilee Debt and Benefit Advice service which gives us more scope to get to the bottom of what help they need and to ease the burden they feel.

In 2021, we fed over 5000 people and expect that number to rise this year due to economic pressures. We are here to support anyone in need and while we address the poverty people find themselves in, we also look to help with the spiritual poverty we so often see.

If you’re interested in supporting the work we’re doing to restore dignity in those struggling with poverty, please take a look at our Community Shop and Cafe Service page to find out more about, donating financial or food provisions.

On leaving prison many of our guests find it difficult to secure housing as landlords are unwilling to give them a chance. Even if they do, often their addictions and lack of budgeting skills mean they fail in their tenancy and go back into the cycle of homelessness and offending behaviour.

Derby Homes is working with landlords who are willing to accommodate ex-offenders and Derby City Mission’s My Place staff offer support to assist them to sustain their tenancy. We aim to engage our clients in activities that will reduce their offending behaviour and allow them to continue in their tenancies after the project has ended. Ultimately, we also aim to build relationships with them and help them rebuild their lives.

EACH DAY IS DIFFERENT

For those working on this project, each day is always different. From taking a guest out for coffee & cake to build relationships, to taking them to official appointments at the Job Centre or Probation. On other days they may meet them in the office to complete forms and make calls regarding benefits or medication from the GP. They also closely liaise with the landlord that they meet with on a monthly basis to discuss any issues, challenges and ways in which together, the tenant and landlord can make the place a comfortable home to live in.

As the project gets off the ground, the team have been really encouraged by the supportive response they’ve received from other agencies in the city. Teams who are also wanting the best outcome for our guests, bringing true meaning to the phrase, Transforming Lives Together!

ALREADY THERE HAVE BEEN POSITIVE RESULTS!

One guest has completed a training course to enable them to look for employment; one guest has registered with the GP to address mental health issues; one guest has joined the gym and attends regularly and another has set up a new bank account to allow their rent to be paid directly to the landlord. These may seem small steps but to guests that are living in chaos they are huge achievements.

Poverty Prevention

Please pray as the Poverty Prevention team continues to see an increase in people using our services due to pandemic debt and rising costs of living.

Please Pray for the longevity of our Community Shop and Cafe, and that it can continue to make a huge impact for those utilising the service.

Community Outreach

We're currently recruiting for new people to take on the coordination of the Street Pastors Project. Please pray as the team changes that relationships with those of influence are positively retained. 

Please also pray for the changes to our staffing across Derby City Mission, that as people enter new roles, the Lord will guide and be able to utilise them in exciting and powerful ways. 

Crisis Support

Please believe with us for our Safe Space guests to come to faith and fight addictions.

Please pray for those connecting with our new ByMySide and My Place projects, that they're open to receiving support. That through these projects we are able to move people from chaotic to contributing situations.  

DERBY CITY MISSION LAUNCHES NEW BYMYSIDE PROJECT

Derby City Mission is excited to be partnering on a new project with Public Health, to journey with individuals who have addiction issues. The aim of the new project is to support them, get to know them and begin to understand why they have got to this point. Then ultimately, help them make better decisions in life.

Catesha Scarlett has recently been appointed to coordinate this project alongside a team of full and part-time staff. Together, through relational first activities, they’ll be walking alongside those that have previously struggled with existing addiction support systems.

This is a really exciting project that’s just starting out so, look out on our website and social media for more news in the future.

Fundraise for Derby City Mission

Maybe you want to run a marathon, jump out of a plane, hold a coffee morning or plant sale? You might be doing it alone, with family and friends or maybe through your church, school, social group or business?

We've produced a step by step guide to help you on that exciting journey. To begin, please download our new fundraising pack today.

In our fundraising pack, you'll find all you need to make the biggest impact!

- An A-Z of fundraising ideas,
- A 'how-to-guide' for easily and securely collecting donations,
- Social media images and resources,
- Risk assessment form templates and more!

So, now you've got all you need to make an impact, let's work together and transform the lives of people struggling in our city!

Access all our Fundraising Resources here!