Working Together to Help Homeless and Vulnerable People

‘By working together, we can leverage resources and expertise to have a more significant impact on each individual client who is struggling.’ Sue Fourie, Genesis Life Project Manager

Thanks to the help of our community, Genesis Life Projects has been based at Genesis on the Canal in Widcombe for over four months. The move has shown us the importance of building trust with our clients and an on-going relationship.

Many of our clients need support from a number of agencies and services across the city. Some have chaotic lifestyles, anxiety or previous trauma which make it difficult to go to new places for potentially difficult appointments. Over the past few months, we have been focusing on how we can facilitate such appointments in the safe and friendly environment we have created at Genesis Life Projects.

‘By bringing in other services provided in the Bath area to Genesis on the Canal, where the guest feels safe and trust us, we create a far greater chance of our guests making follow-up appointments needed off site.’ Sue Fourie

Using the connections we’ve built up over many years, we now have a whole diary of sessions booked at Genesis Life Projects to support our guests in practical ways. This list includes:

  • DHI – supporting Drug and Alcohol related issues
  • DHI – providing a fibro scan, detecting liver disease
  • First vision Eye care (NHS) – eye testing
  • Bathampton Dentist – Dentistry
  • Dorothy House – living with loss and cancer support
  • Curo – housing support
  • The Together Project – Vets attending to our client’s pets
  • Hairdressers

‘We see over and over again the mutual benefits of collaboration when trying to address the needs of those most vulnerable in our community. We are especially focusing on practical support that makes a real difference in people’s lives.’ Sue Fourie, Genesis Life Projects Manager

Life Connect: Support alongside a meal

As the weather has taken a dire turn, Genesis Life Projects has continued to be a safe space for many seeking holistic, empathetic support.

This month we started offering lunchtime soup on Fridays at Genesis on the Canal, made by volunteers at Widcombe Baptist Church. ‘Soup & Roll’ has been serving 17 people on average each week.

With the offering of food often comes opportunities to build relationships and this has been reflected through the continuing positive engagements being experienced. With new guests being introduced to us by existing ones, who themselves are often concerned for the other’s wellbeing. This opens opportunities for our staff team to engage clients in further one-to-one support, whilst considering routes for overcoming deeper life issues.

 

We also continue to offer a lunch at St John’s each Thursday, where staff can come alongside people who need further support. This has an average of 36 people each week.

Christmas socials and meals

Throughout December and into this week we have a number of Christmas events for our clients to join. This Thursday sees our Christmas meal, hosted by St John’s Catholic Church. We are expecting 40 clients to attend. It’s always a joyful occasion. We will share photos and more updates on this after Christmas.

If you’d like to support our Christmas effort, there is still time to buy Genesis Christmas Gifts for your friends and family, or simply make a donation.

Our Christmas Appeal, which raises essential funds for Genesis Life Projects, is open until January. Please will you help us keep up this important provision for homeless and vulnerable adults in our community?

A letter from our clients Doug and Marcia

‘Dear Sue and the team,

Doug has been managing his ongoing medical conditions and mental health so much better since joining in the activities and group sessions of Genesis Trust Bath.  An organisation that has so positively impacted on the quality of both of our lives, quite literally getting us out and about in beautiful Bath and meeting some lovely, caring people.  Being new to Bath we have valued this very much and because of Genesis Trust we are now feeling part of the community.

Doug has especially enjoyed the Men’s Club’s (Feb & Sep) and has made some friends there.  This time to himself with other men playing table tennis and other indoor games has really lifted his spirits and made him happier at home.  Plus he has enjoyed the evening meal, always saying great food and company.  A big thank you to all involved.  Doug is looking forward to the next one!

Also, Doug and I both enjoy the regular meet up sessions for Boules on a Tuesday afternoon and Saturday morning in Queens Square Bath. Always a fun, friendly time.  Please see the attached photo with another big thank you to the much valued volunteer Nick who always encourages and supports us all to get motivated.

We have also taken part in the Music Therapy sessions (Jan) at Genesis Trust, which we both thoroughly enjoyed and a big thank you to our teacher Valerie who has also put us in touch with the Bath Aphasia Choir which we are now members of and couldn’t be without.  Doug did not sing before and now is singing in a great voice, considering he has only one vocal cord working, this just proves how beneficial singing is which has also boosted his speaking voice and confidence.

Through Genesis we were also referred to the ‘Grow For Life’ courses (May) which we thoroughly enjoyed at the Royal Victoria Gardens, Bath and from here we have made on going community connections with their Newton St Loe Garden.  It feels a homely place for us there and we are always greeted by a smile. Due to Doug’s mobility we do what we can and we both love it.

 

Thank you to Sue, Matt, Paul and Lorraine and all your wonderful team at Genesis Trust, you have and are continuing to make a positive difference to us both.

And, of course, not to mention the Fun with Dough pizza and bread making workshops . . . There is no end!

Thank you

Doug and Marcia