Blogs

Stepping Aside

Towards the end of 2022 I suggested to the Trustees that I felt the best way ahead for the charity was not to appoint a new Assistant Director but for me to step to one side and a new full time Director to be employed. When they had got over their surprise they gratefully accepted my suggestion.

Obviously for me it was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. My involvement with FAITH goes back to the early 90’s when I began as a volunteer. Working with the homeless and underprivileged gets into your DNA and becomes a part of you. Even as I write it feels unreal that what became “my baby” back in 2005 is now in somebody else’s arms. The everyday simple decisions which I used to make, I can no longer. It is very odd.

I will forever be grateful to the Trustees for entrusting me with FAITH and of course to the Lord for providing for the ministry over all these years. When I started ReadiFood was not even a thing. Indeed the term Food Bank did not exist. We did a couple of parcels each week for people that we came across in need, but nothing pointed to what was to come. We may have got close to running out of food on occasions but we never have.

For a few years we ran a small housing project and helped a number of men who were in recovery from addiction and needed additional help and support. More recently “A Bed for the Night” kept numerous men and women from sleeping in the cold and on a a couple of occasions saved lives.

It has been a joy to know that we have been able to make many people’s lives just a little better than they may have otherwise been and especially for a few individuals who have met Christ partly through our ministry.

I am also grateful that for the time being I will be continuing to work for FCG as “Communications Officer”, enabling me to do more of this, i.e. media stuff.

“Walking way” from FCG in due course will be incredibly difficult. What does one do after being part of such an incredible organisation? And of course it was never “my baby”. It was always and should always be His.

I’m sure that, just like you, God has a plan for the rest of my life.

Malcolm

New Director

We are pleased to announce the appointment of a new Director to FAITH Christian Group. Andy Dickens, a member of Reading Family Church, will take up his post in March 2023.

Malcolm Peirce, who has served as Director since 2005, is stepping aside within the charity having been looking to retire for some years.

World Homeless Day 2022

After missing two years due to COVID we were back!

A group of Reading’s charities, community organisations and Council commissioned services joined forces once again on the 10th October 2022 in a street campaign to mark World Homeless Day – a world annual event drawing attention to the needs of local homeless people and providing opportunities for communities to help them.

READING HOMELESS SERVICES FROM THE STREET TO HOUSING

The World Homeless Day slogan is ‘locals act locally on a global day.’ By coming together, we want to take advantage of the increased awareness and strengthen communities in Reading to help homeless people.

HOPE INTO ACTION

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STREET PASTORS AND SALVATION ARMY

We want to make people aware of the challenges in helping the homeless. There is a whole range of reasons why people might find themselves homeless, and depending on their circumstances, they need very different kinds of help. That’s why the initiatives our organisations run are carefully developed in partnership with the Council and local organisations to deliver practical help that makes a real difference.

If people see someone living on the streets they think need help, they can use the StreetLink mobile app to alert local support organisations (www.streetlink.org.uk) or call 0808 800 4444 8am-8pm Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Saturday-Sunday.  By doing this, they can help to connect that person to the local services available.