Who
Tunbridge Wells Churches Street Teams is a voluntary organisation which was launched in October 2009, although we were originally part of the work of the Bridge Trust running for several years under their banner. Our remit is to provide point-of-need contact for the homeless and disadvantaged in Tunbridge Wells with the aim of providing food and warm clothing for all those who need it. We will tell you who you can contact if you wish to donate either financially or materially or would like to pray for the work we do. We thank you for taking the time to read about us.
The Street Teams exist to...
- feed, encourage, spiritually nourish, give appropriate advice and act as a source of information and emergency provisions for the homeless community in Tunbridge Wells;
- help reduce the number of people sleeping rough and reduce the number of homeless suffering from malnutrition in the town of Tunbridge Wells;
- “Trust in the Lord and do good” PS.37 v.3;
- work within the Christian ethos. We believe that everyone has the right to have a safe home and an adequate standard of living;
- give appropriate support, information and contacts to those who need it;
- work with local churches, the local authority, the police and other agencies who support this initiative;
- contribute to the activities of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to alleviate the hardship of the homeless in the town.
Where
The Street Teams operate in a multi-storey Car Park in Tunbridge Wells. There are about twenty-four volunteers that operate the Street Team service, which is provided on four nights per week (Monday through to Thursday). The majority of food and beverages supplied to the homeless each night are supplied as donations to the activity. Our customers whom we meet in the Car Park come from a variety of backgrounds and defy popular stereotypes of homelessness – some are street homeless, some are sofa-surfers, they may have undergone family breakdown, may have mental health problems, may have fallen on hard times. All need love, care and respect.
