Thank you to Nationwide Hove!

A huge thank you to Nationwide, Hove, for raising an amazing £1,182 for Off The Fence!

We’re in a new school!

The schools team have recently added St Andrew’s Primary School in Hove to our list of (now 6) regular schools.

Since November 2023 the schools team have been in St Andrew’s weekly, running a lunchtime prayer space for y3-6. There’s been great uptake and excitement from students! Over the past two half terms we’ve been doing prayer activities about who God has made us to be and saying thank you to him for all he has given us.

This month St Andrew’s year 2s are collecting items for Antifreeze as part of their ‘donate a day’ initiative. Becky will be going round each year 2 class to lead a session about Antifreeze and the work they’re doing with those experiencing homelessness.

The schools team are also working with the RE lead and the Student Faith council to create an outdoor permanent prayer space which would be available to all students at any break. The aim of this space is to give students a quiet outside space with simple activities helping students to reflect and take things to God in prayer. We’ve been excited about the amazing ideas students have come up with for this space!

All in all our first few month in St Andrew’s have been fantastic and the schools team are looking forward to seeing how this partnership will grow!

New year new schools team!

2024 sees some exciting changes for our schools team! Schools team manager, Lizzi is due to go on maternity leave this month.

It’s an exciting new chapter for her but also sad to say goodbye to staff and students in school for a while. Students have been excited to chat to Lizzi about her growing bump and lots have offered name suggestions!

The team are delighted to welcome Katy as maternity cover. Katy is no stranger to the schools team as she’s been a volunteer for a few years now and brings lots of skills and experience to the role.

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We’ve asked Katy a few questions to get to know her a bit better…

Who are you and how long have you lived in Brighton?

I’m Katy Lambert and I’ve lived in Brighton since 1997 so 27 years

What’s your favourite thing about Brighton & Hove?

I love walking along the seafront, especially how the sea and sky look different every single time I go. 

What was your experience of school like when you were little?

I loved primary school with all the games and new things to learn and read. Secondary school I found really difficult as I didn’t really know what I was good at or where I fitted in.  

What are you looking forward to about working on the OTF schools team?

Meeting lots of new students in some of the amazing schools in our city and working with such a passionate team.

Axis Foundation generously donate £4,750

A huge thank you to Axis Foundation for their generous donation of £4,750.

This will be used to purchase hygiene materials (including toothpaste, shampoo, razors, shaving foam and cleaning products), hot water bottles (for distribution on the street) and waterproof jackets (for warmth and protection in the cold winter).

The hygiene, jackets and other products that this sum will purchase will make a huge difference to our clients in the extreme weather conditions we are experiencing currently.

“Thank you for your compassion and generosity. Lives will be saved.”

— Jane Leaver, Office Finance and Individual Giving Co-ordinator

Celebrate the New Year!

Here are some snapshots of our projects in action in 2023!

2023 brought wonderful celebrations, meaningful conversations and individuals exiting the poverty cycle. In 2024 we are working for more. More joy, more freedom, more hope. Will you join us in making 2024 a year to remember?

Click below to find out how to get involved.

The Sutton Winson Mountain Team smash their target!

A huge thank you to the team at Sutton Winson who have raised a momentous £1,717 (so far!) following their “Man v Mountain Challenge” that occurred on the 2nd September.

The Sutton Winson Mountain Team, consisting of Rob Lewis-Mayston, Nick Brayne, Michelle Donnachie, Arthur Goddard and including ex employee Henry Grace, took part in the mammoth challenge which included a 22mile run up and over Mount Snowdon, abseiling, kayaking and a plunge into an ice-cold lake.

Seed Marketing Volleyball Tournament

Last Friday, we took part in the Seed Marketing Volleyball tournament, where our team (Roy, Sarah, Daniel, Michael Cheetham, Ali Poole and Elliya Cook) played in an seven team tournament to raise funds for Off The Fence at the Yellow Wave Beach Volleyball centre on Madeira Drive.

The two finalists, MacMillan Wealth and Seed Marketing played in a hard fought final with Macmillan winning through (with the questionable assistance of a Volleyball champion from Brazil) who towered over the other players.

This was followed by a BBQ and drinks – and a superb raffle. The end result was an amazing £3,875 raised in just one evening. Well done Seed Marketing and all the participants.

Sewing workshop at Gateway Women’s Centre!

The women at Gateway recently enjoyed a sewing workshop – everyone went home with a tote bag made on the sewing machines.  For some, it was the first time ever using a machine.  

It was great to use our new studio to host this workshop and have the space to spread out comfortably.  A very productive afternoon!

Off The Fence recruits social visionary Reverend Julio Abraham as CEO

Highly respected national charity, social entrepreneur and faith leader is appointed new CEO of Off The Fence Trust

The Board of Trustees at Off The Fence are delighted to introduce our new CEO, Reverend Julio Abraham, most recently the CEO of Derby City Mission. 

Julio is a leader and entrepreneur with an extensive experience in charity leadership, social enterprise and business. He has global leadership experience, a Masters in Theology and a strong commercial background

Most importantly for the City’s disadvantaged, he has a flair for business planning in the Third Sector, working with wealthy individuals, venture capitalists, grant making trusts, government, banks and business. For the past 6 years he has worked as CEO of the homeless charity Derby City Mission, taking it from a turnover of £250k to £1.3M, extending the staff roll from 3 to over 30.  Julio is eager to move to Brighton & Hove, “The City has a national reputation for care, compassion and creating futures for some of the most vulnerable people in the community. This work has inspired me over the years and I am eager to collaborate with other groups in the City to contribute my experience and passion to this task.”

Julio will join Off The Fence on 7th August and work alongside founders Paul and Wendy during a transition period which will ensure a managed handover for the benefit of clients, partners and funders.

Starting with an annual budget in 1997 of just £3k, Reverend Paul Young and his wife Wendy have directed Off The Fence through community leadership, visionary development and structured growth. Paul Young commented, “For 26 years Off The Fence has tackled both the root causes and the effects of emotional and physical poverty; walked alongside those most impacted; providing practical support, directing our efforts to where they are most needed. Its mission hasn’t changed in that time. If anything, it has become more urgent than ever. At its core is ‘Resisting poverty. Empowering people. Restoring hope.’ Julio shares this sense of mission. The charity is in good hands.”

During Paul’s tenure, there have been significant achievements. At the height of the pandemic, the Charity raised over £500,000 to purchase and extend the Gateway Women’s Centre in Portslade.  Since 1997 It has raised and spent £9 million to support local projects. Over 700 rough sleepers, 120 vulnerable women and 13,000 schoolchildren via in-school support come into contact with the charity each year.

Paul and Wendy leave a lasting legacy in the City for which we are all grateful.

OTF Schools Team take on national role in running prayer spaces at Wildfire 2023

Having run Prayer Spaces in Schools for the last 10 years our Schools team were excited to be invited to run the PSIS tent at Wildfires.

Lizzi & Suzanne teamed up with PSIS national director Tim Abbott to create a prayer experience at the centre of the Wildfires festival.

Arriving on Sunday evening with boxes full of kit, we worked into the night, with only fairy lights to see by!

The next 3 days saw 1000s of people from across the country, of all ages pitch their tents on the Wiston estate.

Our prayer tent was just one of many initiatives to help people to explore the Christian faith. We set up 8 different prayer activities and we delighted to see individuals, couples and whole families come in to explore prayer together.

Each day we spent 30 minutes telling people all about PSIS and how they could take ideas back to their local schools.

It was a privilege to work with the national PS team and to spend 3 days in a tent in the Sussex countryside helping people to pray!

OTF Schools celebrate a decade of taking Prayer Spaces into schools

This year our Schools Team celebrated 10 years of running Prayer Spaces in Brighton & Hove schools.

Here is a visual report of the activities they took to Aldrington CE Primary School in May. The team set up the activities in the school library and everyone enjoyed the Space for the 3 days they were there.

Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about Prayer Spaces or you could watch this short video, made by the team at Prayer Spaces in Schools, to see what students think.

Antifreeze Artfrieze launch Open House

Street-grown artists exhibit in Antifreeze one day gallery

The sun came out and so did the art lovers at the Artfrieze Antifreeze Open House client art gallery on Saturday.

After weeks of preparation, the Antifreeze Homeless Support Artfrieze exhibition and open day took place with dozens of visitors, lots of sales and some high profile guests. These included our patrons Bruno Saltor and Raquel Seliva and Westbourne and Poets Corner ward councillors Leslie Alan Pumm and Julie Cattell with newly elected Cllr Trevor Muten.

Several of our clients were there and a number of pieces of their work were sold, with all the proceeds going to them in what was a highly motivational event.

Antifreeze Manager Anna Muten and Karla Lateef worked creatively and tirelessy to assemble the art and encourage other members of the Brighton & Hove art community to participate.

Client artist Chris said " It's been a great day. Apart from people seeing my art, I've helped by distributing flyers, made tea and shown people around the exhibition. It has given me a real sense of identity and purpose."

Antifreeze Anna Muten said, "For a launch event, the day was a roaring success. Visitors were surprised at the high quality of art on display and our artists clients were thrilled at how their work was received. As some of them were first-time artists, this was a huge boost for them."

By the time all sales are in, that the total will be over £300. Collaborations are already being discussed in order to make this a larger and longer running event next year.

St Christopher’s Prep School, Hove raised £235 for Off The Fence walking, not wearing uniform and selling cake..

Roy Stannard and Sarah Melvin talking to Anson House

We want to say a huge well done to Anson House, St. Christopher’s Prep, Hove, who raised £235 for the charity in March and April.

One of our best School supporters, Anson House at St Christopher’s Prep undertake a variety of fundraising events during the year specifically to help our charity. This time the activities included a sponsored walk, a non-uniform day and a yummy cake sale!⁠

Carla Goodson and Chris Holt at the School said, “the students love to suport a charity that is local and accessible. Off The Fece is perfect as it is in Hove and we enjoy representatives from the charity coming to the School to bring the work of the charity alive to the children.”
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Thank you St Christopher’s. We couldn’t do what we do without you!

— with St Christopher's Prep.

The Hoosiers’ Irwin Sparkes plays for Brighton charities (including Off The Fence)

Irwin Sparkes raised £1000 for Brighton charities

A superb ‘secret’ gig at The Hove Club on the 24th April, headlined by locally based Irwin Sparkes of The Hoosiers  raised over £1000 for the Mayor of Brighton & Hove's charities.

Playing a low-profile set in advance of embarking on a national tour and a new album, it was a chance to see Irwin play up front and personal.

Thanks to all the charities who supported and the 100+ people who attended this exclusive pre-tour, pre-album secret gig. Big high fives to 12 year old singing star Scarlett Chapman for playing in support.

Best night out for a while ..and all in a good cause!

Sutton Winson Bake-Off raises £180!

A big thank you to Sutton Winson who recently held a Bake-off in their office to raise funds for the charity.

It was expertly judged by their very own “Prue Leith” and “Paul Hollywood” with the winner being Nick Brayne from their Corporate Team – congratulations! Over £180 was raised on the day.

Brewers paint a client’s future a brighter colour

Antifreeze’s Karla Lateef with Brewers Area Manager Tony Guarino and the decorating materials donated to help one of our clients get started in his decorating business

Business/Charity partnerships work in all kinds of different ways.

Our Antifreeze Homeless Support team went to see Brewers Decorator Centre in Portland Road to ask if they could spare some tools and materials to help one of our clients to start his own decorating business.

Area Manager Tony Guarino met up with Off The Fence Trust's Karla Lateef to pass across the donation. On one level this was a generous gesture on the part of Brewers, but in this symbiotic world, our client may well turn out to be one of their best customers in years to come!

Karla and Tony at Brewers Decorators Centre, Portland Road, Hove

A huge thank you to James, Scarlett and Nationwide, Hove!

Scarlett Chapman with Off The Fence’s Head of Income & Comms, Roy Stannard

Last Tuesday Off the Fence along with James and Scarlett Chapman went to Nationwide in George Street, Hove to collect not one but two cheques.

The first for £10,000 is the second year this amount has been given to Off The Fence for its work with the homeless, with the money directed towards a refurbished and updated computer suite for clients to write CVs, apply for jobs and benefits - and create an online presence. The remainder will be spent on high quality sleeping bags of which we need 1000
a year.

Scarlett Chapman attended to collect a further £3000 which represents the amount she has raised via Just Giving for her Winter Appeal single ‘Home’ in aid of Off The Fence and from the busking performed outside the Nationwide and other locations.

Gloria Moynan, in charge of Social Investment for the George Street branch, said “We admire what Off the Fence does to help the clients we see passing through George Street, and we have built a close relationship with the charity over the past few years. We believe at the Nationwide that everyone has the right to a home and this is a practical way of helping.”

Head of Income & Comms at Off The Fence, Roy Stannard said that, “Scarlett Chapman and her father James have been tireless in their support of the homeless. Scarlett has spent hours in all weathers busking for our clients. Her recording and video of the specially written song for the homeless, “Home” has been a resounding success in raising money and our profile in the community. Brighton resident Irwin Sparkes of the Hoosiers has offered to perform a benefit gig after seeing her video. Nationwide generously wanted to mark her achievement as well as awarding us a £10,000 grant. Without supporters like the Nationwide, James and Scarlett, we would struggle to do the work we do.”

Scarlett’s video can be seen here – and she features in the Argus and on Meridian News this week.

Roy Stannard with the team at Nationwide, George Street, Hove

10 years of Prayer Spaces in Schools

This time 10 years ago the schools team were getting ready for their first ever Prayer Space in School! At the time it was a brand new initiative and the team had no idea how popular the idea would be in local schools!

Our first ever Prayer Space happened at Cardinal Newman Catholic School and saw 800 students experience prayer in a new way.  

Schools team manager Lizzi comments: “It took a long time to decorate the room – we’d never set up a Prayer Space before so every creative decision seemed difficult. The following morning as the team waited for the first class to arrive, I remember being really apprehensive. I had no idea how students would respond to the idea of praying in school. However by the end of day one, we’d seen 120 students and most were overwhelmingly positive about their time in the Prayer Space. I went home really excited about the rest of the week!”

Since March 2013 our schools team have run 111 Prayer Spaces in and around the Brighton area; 59 in Primary Schools, 46 in Secondary and 6 elsewhere. At the last count we’ve welcomed over 38,000 students into Prayer Spaces!

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Here’s some of our favourite quotes from the last 10 years: 

“We were blown away by your commitment and professionalism and the quality of your work.”

– King’s School Hove, 2014 

“Students and staff are still buzzing from the experience and you have inspired us to think creatively about meeting the spiritual needs of our students.” 

– Davison High School, 2017

“So great to have the students coming back so full of enthusiasm!”

– Aldrington, 2017

“It’s great for staff to see what you do – you’re an example of good practice in school.”

– St Mary’s Primary, 2018

“I hope to pray more.”

– Cardinal Newman Catholic School, 2018

“I could leave my worries outside and just be peaceful – A very safe space to be.”

– Davison High School, 2020

“Off The Fence are about as ‘good practice’ as it gets.”

– PSIS National Director, 2020

The Off The Fence Big Sleep-out returns bigger than ever on November 18th

Last November 100 participants, including six companies, university students, the entire senior management team of Brighton & Hove Albion, a senior BBC religious producer, pensioners, teenagers, churches and clubs slept out all night to raise over £34,000 for the rough sleeping population in Brighton & Hove.

Approximately one in 78 of the City’s population don’t have a roof to call their own and as many as 700 sleep outside every night. Off the Fence takes the view that prevention is better than cure – and lot more economic. It costs over £24k a year to care for a rough sleeper compared with under £5k to intervene earlier and avoid the move out into the open. 

The Charity is back on North Lawn in York Place, just north of St Peter’s Church on Friday 18th November from 5pm with another packed schedule of activities.  There will be cardboard boxes to create shelters, a PA system with an outdoor cinema screen, a street food truck, refreshments, fencing and security. It costs just £20 to take part and participants are expected to set up sponsorship pages to draw in support.

The Big Sleep Out is an annual fundraising challenge organised by Off The Fence for people to experience what life can be like for rough sleepers and to raise money to help them off the streets and back on track.

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When: Friday 18th – Saturday 19th November

Time: 5pm – 8am

Where: North Lawn, St Peter’s Church, York Place, Brighton, BN1 4GU

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Participants are encouraged to bring friends and family (under 18s must be accompanied), or come as a team from work or on your own and the Charity will put you in a team.  There will challenges like ‘Build your own shelter’; testimonials, live music, food and a celebrity story time.

Brighton & Hove is one of the highest ratio rough sleeper cities in the UK and with the cost of living climbing daily, this shows no sign of getting any better. People sleeping rough die younger (men 45, women 43 on average), are more likely to get ill and are more vulnerable to violence than the rest of the population.

To take part in the Big Sleep Out 2022, please contact Event Organiser Sarah Melvin to book your place email sarah.melvin@offthefence.org.uk or 01273 933885

Stressed? Supporting women to manage stress

It’s not uncommon for a woman to tell one of Gateway’s Support Workers: “I feel so stressed and overwhelmed by everything I’m dealing with.  I don’t know where to start”.  

We know that responding to life’s demands can be very hard.
A woman might be facing major changes in their life – perhaps bereavement, a loss of health or the end of a relationship; or financial instability.   They might feel overwhelmed by worry or fear, or impacted by trauma.   Women might have a demanding role as an unpaid carer, have a young family, or have other responsibilities that are challenging.  Some report feeling that their emotional strength and resilience are stretched to capacity by life’s circumstances.  Many of the women we support are dealing with multiple stresses at the same time.

At our recent ‘Managing Stress’ workshop, women had the opportunity to learn together and share ideas and tips for managing stress.  They talked about the causes of stress, and the impact it can have on physical and mental wellbeing.  The group then tried out some techniques for managing stress – ranging from quick mindfulness exercises to seated stretches – and put together their own toolkit of strategies to try at home.

“I wasn’t sure I could justify the time to come to the session, but I’m glad I did…  You need time to think about what you can do to manage stress, and it also reminded me of things I already knew helped, but had forgotten about”.

Once we are back in the Gateway building, the team are planning a new range of workshops and group sessions in consultation with the women who use Gateway.  As well as wellbeing-themed sessions like our stress management session, we’ll also offer a variety of sessions including creative activities, exercise and movement, trips out to other community projects, and information talks on topics ranging from spotting scams, managing menopause and nutrition on a budget. 

• What is stress?

• How can we identify when we are stressed?

• What are the common causes of stress?

• Why does stress affect our energy and performance levels?

• What can we do to manage our stress?

• Practical application of techniques.