Christmas blues – Crisis for Christmas

Merry Christmas one and all.  I heard today on the radio that it is right and proper to wish people “Merry Christmas” throughout the 12 days of Christmas – from Christmas Day through to 6th January – the Epiphany, when the three kings came to see the baby Christ.  Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh symbolising The King, The Priest and the inevitable mortal demise respectively.

Anyway, I wanted to talk about the post Christmas feeling – one of reflection, perhaps reflecting on the feast of food and wine of Christmas, the tree, lots of gifts from friends and family, warm fire, lots of TV, no work, phone calls from afar, general merriment, and now the lapse prior to another large and frenetic party mood around the celebration of the coming of another year.  Friends and songs, and intentions and plans, what you’re going to do more of less of etc.

I  spent Christmas with a good friend and her family and it was a fun packed day, carols at the local church, stockings full of gifts, a tremendous lunch – turkey and all its trimmings, champagne and red wine, and beer, and games, the Queen, laughter, thoughts of absent friends and family

This year I’ve been working with Crisis for Christmas and it’s been a real eye-opener so to speak. In between the traditional Christmas event I have been at a temporary homeless centre in West London, helping Crisis – the national charity for single homeless people.  It is quite a humbling experience.  The guests are an assortment of individuals, men and women, old and young, who for a variety of reasons live on the streets of London, or have until recently done so, and are now in sheltered accommodation of one form or another.

My tasks have varied across the four shifts I have so far done.  Door opener, Canteen mingler, befriender, information provider, car park attendant, corner watcher, bin emptier, light turner-offer, common room cleaner.  There are approximately 100 volunteers per shift, and approximately 150 guests come through the doors per day.  The purpose of the cntre and its volunteers is to offer free advice, support, help to the guests.  A hot meal, a place to sit in the warmth, a hot drink, a cold drink, TV, chess, hairdressing, nail-clipping, massage, showers, a chat, a cuddle, clothing, advice, introductions, biscuits.  Dignity. For seven days between 23rd and 30th December this is Crisis for Christmas.

I’m off there again this afternoon.  It’s peeing with rain outside – we’ve been lucky with the weather so far.  It’s been very cold, but only rained a little on the first day. It’s nearly 1pm now and it’s been raining since dawn.  There are homeless people outside now who do not have anywhere to go, except a doorway, or an underpass, or a piece of cardboard. Such thoughts really do create a significant sense of perspective.  And the acknowledgment that the Homeless people in London take every day as it comes as a challenge to find the basics of food, clothing and shelter – the things most people in our society take for granted.

I’m going to leave my home shortly and head to Hammersmith to start my 3.15 – 22.00 shift, and at the end that’s the end of my work for Crisis for Christmas.  I’ve had the privilege to meet some incredible people, with tales, and honesty, and strength.  And laughter.  Equally fascinating people the volunteers and the guests, the latter with the more formidable challenge, but I guess all facing challenges.  I’ll be sad when it ends, but can’t forget for the guests it only ends if they meet the challenge and find a way to get off the streets and into a bedsit, or a council flat, and on some benefits, possibly working again, possibly reuniting with lost family or friends.

A huge big up to Crisis and all the key volunteers and Green badges, and also the guests who I have spoken to and learnt about their lives.