Faith Christian Group was started in the late 1980’s as a response to a need which its founder, Jim McConnell, saw on the streets of Reading. Seeing people sleeping rough in our town, he was moved to take them hot drinks and food. This still continues 5 nights each week under the name “ReadiStreet“.
We became a registered charity in 1996.
In 2005 we started “ReadiFood“, Reading’s main foodbank, delivering emergency food to those households in need.
January 2015 saw the beginnings of our winter night shelter “a bed for the night”; seven nights a week provision for those sleeping rough to come into the warm for a meal, a place to sleep and breakfast.
The Pantry Network here in Reading started in 2022 at Norcot Mission, providing food at a subsidised rate as well as somewhere where local people to get additional support and friendship. Since then we have several other locations across the town.