For the past 4 Christmas's since moving to the UK, I have not returned to Australia to have Christmas with my family. The first two Christmas's 2008 and 2009 I spent with my boyfriend and his friends and family, 2010 I was at home with a friend. However this year I spent it with the homeless.
This year I volunteered with a couple of friends for Crisis for Christmas. Crisis is a charity focused on helping the homeless within the UK. crisis.org.uk
During the Christmas period, Crisis sets up various centres around London to house homeless people. The Rough Sleepers Centre where I was volunteering is the largest centre, housing up to 350 guests.
At this centre the guests are provided 3 hot meals, opportunities to shower every day. have access to dental care, podiatrists, advice services, gaming area, internet, books, clothing, entertainment but most of all companionship by other normal people.
I had initially volunteered just for two days (Christmas Eve & Christmas Day), my shift was from 7.45am - 4pm. My tasks varied during the entire time that I was there. My absolute highlight was singing for the guests and then having one of the guests sing with me Amazing Grace accapella. It was truly amazing. My friend and I had felt so rewarded over our first two days that we decided to go back for a third day!
It is truly amazing the people you meet when doing this kind of volunteering. Some people can be very grateful and others not so much. I did notice that a large majority of guests in the centre were Eastern European..................this suprised me. I met a management accountant who is now homeless, another guy was a self employed person who lost all his contracts when the local council funding was cut by the government, so many stories...............all men who were somebody before they became nobody in society.
I may not have spent Christmas with my family but I was most honoured to have shared 3 days of the holiday with these guests. They truly taught me that I have nothing to complain about............................my eyes view the world in a very different way now!
Till next time
Smooches
xx