We’re on Keeping the Faith BBC local radio on BBC Sussex and 38 other local stations midnight Christmas Eve & 5am Christmas Day

Click the image after the show has gone out:

Keeping The Faith on BBC Sussex Christmas Special

On 39 local BBC radio stations around the UK. 1 hour long and Off The Fence at its Big Sleep Out has 8 minutes of it!

Thank you Alex Strangeways-Booth - Senior Religious Producer at the BBC and Hove resident (who bravely did the sleep-out with us!)

One of our clients, Chris is the real star!

Listen at midnight Christmas Eve or 5am Christmas Day.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0b8d1fx

Our new Corporate and Community Lead Sarah Melvin introduces herself

Because of my faith and a sense of social justice, I have a heart for the homeless, for community mission, and the fight against people trafficking. I have worked in a voluntary capacity with the anti-slavery charity, A21.org

I walk, cycle, and love being outdoors, taking pictures of amazing sunsets, beaches, parks, and anything else I can point my lens at. I can cycle for 3 or 4 hours easily, and just get lost (not literally!) in the process of enjoying nature.  

I love to sing. Outside of my faith, this is my biggest passion. I am new to songwriting and am taking baby steps whilst learning the piano. I have sung in various choirs, led worship teams, and, ssssh, I have been known to indulge in karaoke for fun! There is no song I won’t try, but I particularly love songs from the stage and screen - whilst looking open-mouthed at some of the vocal gymnastics of Whitney Houston.

I am strongly motivated by seeing people coached and mentored to reach their full potential. To prospect the ‘gold’ in individuals. I have a background in financial coaching from my time as a bank manager - and in a broader way from my ministry training at a local church.

I love language - both my native and other languages. I speak basic German and was semi-fluent in Spanish at one point, but when things moved from the Costa Brava to cost a packet, I put that on hold!

I like to travel. One of my favourite places has to be Sharm El Sheik on the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula in Egypt. Snorkeling there opened up a hidden chunk of the natural world for me. On my all-time bucket list is a road trip along the East Coast of America.

Last – but not least, I love babysitting and being with children. In a Peter Pan kind of way, they keep me young and alive. I have four nieces and nephews that I love spending time with. I hope the reverse is true!

The new Antifreeze - with added laundry and shower facilities

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Special thanks to..

The National Lottery who funded the building and capital costs.

…and to Southern Water

who contributed to the plumbing and labour costs.

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Showing poverty a clean pairs of heels.

The new shower unit at Antifreeze.

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Washing hopelessness away

The new Antifreeze Laundry room

Paul Young and Laurel Nathan take you on a tour of the new Antifreeze Centre

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Laundry and Shower Plans

A recent bid to The National Lottery helped to finance the brand new laundry facilities - washing machines and driers - and a fantastic power shower in the re-vamped Antifreeze Centre in Portland Road, Hove.

After providing mobile laundry and hygiene facilities in vans in the centre of Brighton for five years, it was apparent that fewer clients were comfortable with climbing into a parked vehicle in order to have a shower - and the wait in the street for a full laundry cycle was offputting too.

So the decision was taken to sell the vans and invest in inside laundry and shower facilities that would give clients the opportunity to clean up, wash their clothes, pick up new ones and relax and sit and have a coffee with a support worker before braving the elements again.

The costs included £9,700 for building materials, labour £5,000, 2 new robust washing machines at £600 each, a 6.5kg Commercial Electric Tumble Dryer. £1200.00 and the 2 shower units and cubicles at £400 each.

£18,000 plus the broader works and costs:

New office and workspace:

Desks x 2 (Modern interlocking) £350 each

Bookshelves, secure storage cupboard and coffee machine £800.00

Carpeting £750.00

The building work and the installation of new plumbing, electricity and the units themselves cost in the region of £20k thanks to the generosity of volunteers builders and funders including The National Lottery.

The uptake has been significant - and the response from clients through the roof!

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For more information visit the Antifreeze web page

Prayer Space Up and Running!

The first week of November saw our Schools and Youth team run their first in real life Prayer Space since before the pandemic!

It was a fantastic week for students and staff alike as they had classes from nursery all the way up to Year 6 (at St Nicholas and St Mary’s in Shoreham) visiting the space and enjoying trying out the seven activities on offer. Just like Jesus said “I am the light of the world” in one of the zones (pictured) students were encouraged to “be a light” and think about people around the world that they could pray for.

This activity involved having fun with torches and writing postcards to people in countries such as Iraq, China and Sudan. In three days the team (plus volunteers) saw over 400 people and the team are excited for their next Prayer Space – at King’s (secondary) School at the start of December.

Transformations at Gateway Women's Centre

At Gateway, we like to see what we can make from ordinary things that others might throw away.  This nativity scene was a group project, made by the women who use Gateway in one of our ‘Coffee and Craft’ drop-ins a couple of years ago.  Each woman picked a character from the nativity to make, before rummaging through our collection of scraps, ribbons and trimmings to make them come alive.  

We find that - with care, time and attention - ordinary things can be creatively transformed into something special.  The Gateway women also created our ‘Colour Wheel’ as part of a recycling festival – it’s comprised of discarded objects which were repurposed to create an impactful work of art.  The ‘Colour Wheel’ is proudly displayed in our centre, and highlights the transformative power of imagination and creativity.

We see the potential for change or growth in every woman we meet.   Our collaborative and group activities can be one part of a process of transformation for the women we support.  A woman might feel ‘stuck’ in life, or think that their dreams and goals are unachievable when they first use Gateway.  But with sensitive support in a caring and encouraging environment, they gradually discover that change is possible.   

With the redevelopment of the centre next year, we will have more opportunities to bring women together, to build positive connections, and to journey with women as they take steps forward in their lives.

The Gateway team would like to thank you very much for your support this year, and send Christmas Greetings to you all!  

A story for our times..

A nudge in the right direction.. 

Off The Fence Trust was set up by Paul and Wendy Young in 1997 as part of a three-pronged attack on inequality and poverty in Brighton & Hove.

Our Antifreeze Homeless Project intervenes on behalf of  and supports rough sleepers in Brighton and Hove. Typically, we will work with between 200-300 a year and meet with each person a number of times. This year under the new management of Laurel Nathan Antifreeze has become a springboard for life change and hope revival. This has been achieved through greater individual mentoring.

This is the story of Terry (not his real name).

Terry has been an Antifreeze client for more years than he or we can remember.

Is that a bad thing? No, not when you hear about the struggles he’s had to negotiate over the years. Life on the streets has taken its toll. He’s in his thirties but looks 20 years older. His skin displays the ravages of outdoor living. His hair goes whichever way it wills and his teeth look like they’re not hanging around for long. For many, he is someone you would circumnavigate on the street, pretending to look at your phone or studying the approach of the No 8 bus that you are not catching anyway.

His clothes wear him rather than the other way around. And then you notice his eyes. They are bright blue, clear and have a laser quality that scores a bullseye every time they look in your direction. They don’t just see you, they penetrate you. If you stop and talk to him you’ll receive another shock. His voice is quiet, thoughtful and well-modulated. Not many people listen to him so when he has an audience he uses the opportunity sparingly, but tellingly. 

A trained chef, his job, marriage and life collapsed at around the same time. His family didn’t want to know and his employers were simply looking at the bottom line.

At first, he kept himself clean, motivated and mobile, sleeping in the car and, on a good night, on a friend’s sofa. Then the work dried up altogether along with the hope. Claiming benefits requires an address, not a car registration number. 

It became easier to drink in the company of others on a similar downward path. Besides, it kept out the cold. A little. After a couple of years someone mentioned Off the Fence and Antifreeze – somewhere to get some food and a hot drink and a sympathetic ear. Dropping in became a weekly habit and this continued for months, which turned into years. 

With a different approach in place, based around quality instead of quantity, the mentoring and question-answering was allowed o take root. The depth of conversation increased and the sense of real engagement flourished. An Alpha course was attended and Terry started to go to church. Recently, he appeared on a major media platform to recount his story.  

We start from the premise that God can change lives. All it needs is a nudge from us. And you.

If you want to help, visit our website www.offthefence.org.uk or call 01273 933885.

We are always in the market for life-changers.

Our Big Sleep Out the biggest and best yet

100 volunteers brave the elements to help the homeless

November Big Sleep Out raises £20K+

Last Friday 12th November, over 100 hardy volunteers took part in Brighton & Hove homeless charity Off the Fence’s The Big Sleep Out to raise over £20,000 for the rough sleepers of Brighton & Hove. Supporters including Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor and Billy Reid of BHAFC, MDs and staff of companies such as Telefonica Tech, Sutton Winson and Lawton & Dawe, set up camp at North Side Green, St Peter's Church, York Place, Brighton BN1 4GU to experience the reality of what it’s like to sleep rough. 

Cllr Alan Robins, Mayor of Brighton & Hove presided over the first 90 minutes, followed by a rough shelter-making competition with prizes for the best cardboard construction.

Through the generosity of corporate supporters, there were two tents (one for children, the other for food and necessary admin), along with a full PA system, spotlights and an inflatable cinema screen to show films about the accommodation and poverty issue in this area. Food was provided by the street food charity Crossover, which meant that the money spent on providing food would also go to the homeless community. Brighton & Hove’s street services work with 15 new cases of rough sleeping each week - around the same number who die on the streets of exposure and hunger. Nationally, it is estimated by Shelter that 200,000 people will spend Christmas outside. The average life expectancy of male rough sleepers is 45 and women 43.

Off The Fence CEO and Founder Paul Young was blown-away by the response. “This was by far the biggest Sleep Out that we’ve done. It was also the most high profile. It meant that we had twice as many people as any of the previous 23 sleep outs and raised 4 times as much as our previous best. Having the support of the three Seagulls coaches was amazing - but it was a common experience for all to show solidarity with and support for the socially disadvantaged of our City.”  

Graham Potter had this to say, “We had an easy version of sleeping rough but it still gave us an insight into the challenges the homeless community face on a daily and nightly basis. Having experienced just one night out on the street, I cannot imagine what it would be like suffering in this way with no idea of what the future holds, or where the next meal might be coming from. There is a ridiculous stigma attached. These are some of the most vulnerable members of our society, and they need our help and support. Many are suffering from illness, poor health and it is heart breaking in 2021 that we still see people living on our streets.

There are some amazing charities like Off The Fence across the UK, and here in Brighton and Hove, who do some amazing work. It's getting tougher for those organisations, and as we move into the depths of winter when the nights will get colder, with temperatures going sub-zero, I would urge those of you who can, to give them your support this winter." Graham Potter finished the evening by reading an appropriate bedtime story to the assembled volunteers – James Bowen’s ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’!

If you missed out there is still time to donate via www.offthefence.org.uk/thebigsleepout

or Text OTFBSO10 to 70085 to donate £10 (change 10 to any number to donate different amounts).

OTFBSONOINFO TO 70085 if you don’t want further messages.

Gateway Women’s Centre’s Coffee and Craft groups are back in person!

The Gateway team have so missed welcoming women in person to our groups - and the women have told us they really miss coming along!  We’ve been running groups on Zoom throughout the pandemic, and we’ve met up at local outdoor venues.  But it’s not quite the same as sitting down with a freshly made coffee, good company, positive conversation, and some craft – all in a covid-safe setting.  

Our Coffee and Craft groups (currently in the Church Hall near us) are a safe space for women, run by women.  Women can take precious ‘time out’ - time to relax and recharge, to be themselves, to meet new women, or to rekindle old friendships. You can also have a go at a creative activity and enjoy some refreshments - thanks to our wonderful volunteers who keep the coffee flowing.  The Gateway team are also available to offer support and information at our groups.   

Lots of women have told us “It was lovely to see everyone at the group, and to do something ‘normal’ for a while!”, and some said it was very emotional to be back together again after so long.  That sense of ‘normality’ and connection has been so missed over the pandemic, and these can have such a massive impact on wellbeing.  Our groups are an invaluable way to support women as they face life’s challenges.

Crossroads Cafe

Who doesn’t love a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day?!!

Our schools team recently started an exciting new initiative in partnership with Bishop Hannington Church. The church is situated in a great location near several of the schools our team work in regularly. Every day students walk past the church on their way to and from school. So on Thursday 14th October our team gathered on the green to set up a pop up café. We had to peg the gazebo down and weight the recycling bins with pebbles as it was a bit blustery!

Armed with many litres of hot chocolate our smiling team welcomed about 200 students to the pop up café. It was great to put a smile on the faces of these young people – most couldn’t believe that the hot chocolate was free. One commented ‘I love Christian hot chocolate!’

These students have been through so much in the last 18 months, for many it can feel like the world is against them and life is just too hard. We’re hoping that Crossroads café will become a regular fixture – shining light and positivity in the local community.

Gateway Food Bank

The financial impact of Covid has been huge for so many women and families. These supplies really make a difference.

Here are some quotes from the women about our food bank..

“I got an unexpected bill this month and my cupboards were nearly empty. The food bank has really helped tide me over”

“Thank you so much – I didn’t realise you provided toiletries, laundry and cleaning products too – this has really helped me out”

“My income has gone right down recently so it’s been really important that I could visit Gateway foodbank”

“There have been lots of other expenses recently so not having to worry about food shopping has been a relief”

Art for hearts sake

Since May, some of our Antifreeze clients have been doing an art course with Lucy Mytton and our very own support worker Mary Moss. They have worked indoors and outdoors, gone to exhibitions and really enjoyed getting to express their creative sides as we were coming out of the pandemic. Their artwork is now being displayed in our Centre and we are really proud of what they have achieved.

Big appetite for lunch clubs!

Our School’s Team have a big heart for the students they work with and are always looking for opportunities to connect and chat with those who find school particularly difficult. 

One way they do this is through running clubs at breaktime, lunchtime and after school.

For some students, school doesn’t feel safe and we work hard to help change this. Other students seek encouragement from kind, caring and consistent adults, and we can be there for them too.

In faith schools, this is an opportunity for the team to share bible stories and encourage students to ask questions, explore their own faith and think about it looks like to follow Jesus.

OTF currently have 6 clubs running in 4 Hove secondary schools, with the option to start more later in the term.

Rough Sleeping – it’s not just about the data..

Statistics about homelessness are always approximate,  fast moving and notoriously unreliable. In our City, St Mungo’s has recently been replaced by  Change Grow Live as the City’s contracted homeless outreach partner. 

This perhaps explains why we have never sought to occupy this role and move into a finance-dependent relationship with the Council.

The last year has certainly seen an improvement in temporary accommodation.  However, this was achieved with £5 million Government Assistance (£2.2m 2020 and £3.3m 2021). With £20 a week additional Universal Credit allowance due to end shortly and eviction for non-payment of rent able to proceed again, the situation is poised to worsen. 

The proposed date for when this support package will end is the 31st October. The Council are currently temporarily accommodating 300 rough sleepers with this funding and claim single figure rough sleepers. However, with nearly 700 rough sleepers on our books, the discrepancy is large and dependant on the time of day and the areas covered when the headcount takes place. 

Unsurprisingly, the Council are making the most of the findings (based on this headcount) that Brighton & Hove has dropped from fourth worst affected city in the UK to outside the top ten. However, our experience is that rough sleepers haven’t disappeared, they have just become less visible. In any case the financial support cycle is running out.

There are strong underlying factors to explain why homelessness is liable to ‘bounce back’ more quickly in Brighton than elsewhere:

• Housing shortage: Brighton & Hove is a popular place to live but because it's between a National Park and the sea, it's hard to build new houses. 

• There's also a lack of social housing. Because of this shortage, rents in the private sector are high.

• Most jobs in the area are low paid and hospitality-related

• The Council is perceived as more sympathetic than some others, drawing rough sleepers from nearby, outlying areas such as Crawley.

• The figures do not reflect the growth of soft homeless (recent additions, mainly economic); or refugee/migrant intake (200 15-17 year olds were recently accommodated in hotels 
  in the City by the Home Office without Council knowledge or permission.

In other words, your intervention is needed more than ever. Please support us in supporting them.

Seagulls Sue wins the shirt off Graham Potter’s back!

Sue Hastain was delighted to win the Soulful Saturday online auction arranged by Graham and Rachel Potter to win the Albion team shirt signed by players and staff. Sue, who bid for the shirt for her even more fanatical partner delivered a massive ‘whoop’ when she found out that she had won. The Auction was just one element of the successful Soulful Saturday event organised and hosted by Rachel Potter in Glebe Park on the 4th September which raised £4,648 in total.

Pounds lost, pounds gained. Rachel and Graham Potter Pilates and Meditation morning raises £4,648

Supported and organised by Rachel Potter (Patron of Off the Fence Trust) Soulful Saturday on the 4th September at Glebe Villas, Hove was a roaring success.

This marked the first fundraiser hosted by Rachel Potter (wife of Seagulls Manager Graham Potter - our new Patrons) for 50+ people paying £35 each for a morning of Pilates and Meditation with a great veggie brunch included. £2,450 (70 tickets sold) was raised prior to the day in ticket sales, £500 cash on the day in raffle and merchandise sales and £271 in credit card payments and the online auction raised £1307 with another £120 generously donated by Rachel’s friends.

The total raised was a magnificent £4648.

The Glebe sports ground was loaned on the day for the occasion and all participants and suppliers donated their time, equipment and skills.  Rachel Potter led the morning with a morning of pilates, followed by Meditation with Rebecca Kilvington, and healthy eating in the form of a vegetarian brunch as a gift from Kleen Kitchen. The event was supported by dozens of parents from St Christopher's School in Hove. Dan Hills MD of Laines Pub Company kindly provided the expansive marquee and chairs and tables.

OTF’s Head of Income Generation and Comms, Roy Stannard was delighted with the response, “Around 15 homeless members of our community die on the streets of Brighton & Hove each year. The average life expectancy is 47 for men, and 49 for women. Domestic abuse during lockdown has risen by a third. However, Brighton & Hove is known for its compassion and inclusivity across all its communities and this demonstrates once again that we see ourselves as one city with a shared concern for its most vulnerable members.”

 Every penny will be used by Off The Fence to help the homeless, vulnerable children and those who suffer domestic abuse in Brighton.

 Please contact Roy Stannard if you would like more information.

Summer School, what a blast!

Wow, what a significant couple of weeks and what a privilege to be part of the summer schools in Blatchington Mill, Hove Park and Cardinal Newman Schools. 

Each was very different, just as each school has its own character, but in all cases, it was amazing to see new friendships being made, fears of going to a new school being released and just so much fun being had; while also watching a new Year 7 school community being formed.

Activities have included street surfing, DJ workshop, graffiti, escape room, Harry Potter science, bug hotel making, theatre and movie workshops, plus of course plenty of running around. Well done each of the schools for putting on such a creative and engaging programme.

This is what one school tweeted “We have seen amazing examples of kindness, resilience, discovery and inclusivity from our students this week. Well done everyone in @BMS_Classof2026. You are already proving yourselves to be a very special year group!”

Our School’s Team were on hand at all three schools, hanging out with the students at break and lunch, being pretty hands on with helping deliver some of the sessions in between and supporting staff behind the scenes too.

Roll on the new term, the team are looking forward to catching up with Year 7 in school soon.

Gateway takes shape!

Nearly half a million pounds has been raised and is being spent on the purchase, the extension and the refurbishment of 52 Station Road, Portslade. This means we will be able to support another 25 or so clients.

There is a three-phase building project starting from now:

1. Top Floor – new roof, windows, toilets and office area allowing our staff to continue their vital work through Zoom 
   meetings, one-to-one phone support, small scale meeting and the operation of a food (and much more) bank. This will take place relatively to allow the work to continue.

2. Lower floor – this is a larger stage that will allow the Gateway project to open again for day programmes in order 
   to serve the community.

3. The extension - this is the largest building project OTF has ever undertaken. 

4. The back garden has been completely cleared in readiness for this.

This will give us 100% more space, training rooms, workshops, consulting rooms and a kitchen area. Planning Permission is underway. 

The first two stages will receive priority in order to allow the Project to continue its work at the earliest opportunity. Completion of Stage 3 will see us hosting an official opening of the building by early 2022 – coinciding with the start of our 25th Anniversary celebrations.

Why Sutton Winson supports Off The Fence

Stop press! Graham Potter supports Off The Fence.

Supported and organised by Rachel Potter, Soulful Saturday on Saturday 4th Sept at Glebe Villas, Hove on behalf of Off The Fence Trust was a roaring success.

This marked the first fundraiser organised by Rachel Potter (wife of Seagulls Manager Graham Potter - our new Patrons) for 70 people paying £35 each for a morning of Pilates and Meditation with a great veggie brunch.

There was also an amazing array of raffle prizes on the day and an online auction live until the 18th Sept 2021.

The Glebe was loaned on Saturday to helping Brighton’s Off The Fence charity. Rachel Potter led the morning with a morning of pilates, followed by Meditation with Rebecca Kilvington, and healthy eating in the form of a vegetarian brunch as a gift from Kleen Kitchen. The event was supported by lots of parents from St Christopher's School in Hove.

Over £3000 was raised on the day and the auction for some star items is live until the 18th of September. The incredible list of items includes a Brighton and Hove Albion signed team shirt, a holiday cottage stay in Cornwall, lunch and wine tasting at the Black Dog Hill Vineyard, and a year’s membership at Ubermummies. Please go to the link:

https://app.galabid.com/soulfulbids/items

Every penny helps the homeless, vulnerable children and those who suffer domestic abuse in Brighton.