The Oxford Shower Project

Inspired by Amma’s many humanitarian projects both in India and worldwide, a group of her UK devotees got together in 2007 to found the Shower Project for Oxford’s homeless people.  The Project, which opened in October 2007, takes place every Saturday morning throughout the year, and is located in the Church Hall of St Giles Church in central Oxford.

According to a recent survey, more people sleep rough in Oxford than most places in the UK, excluding Central London. For these, and for anyone in temporary accommodation or ‘sofa surfing’, keeping clean and well-fed can be a huge challenge. The Shower Project offers free hot showers with towels and toiletries provided, and a free hot breakfast.

After a slow start the Project is now well-established, known to the homeless community, and recognised by other charitable bodies. The Management Committee express their gratitude to those who have supported us with donations and by volunteering during our weekly sessions. We also thank the Vicar and his Council at St Giles Church for allowing us to use the premises without charge for rent or electricity.

Most importantly, we thank our Beloved Amma, for permitting us to carry out this work in her name.

How it works

Doors open at 11 am every Saturday morning, and there are often quite a few people already waiting to come in and use the facilities. They can either sign up for a shower or simply have something to eat and drink. Either way it is a friendly and sociable morning, with newspapers to read and friends to chat to. Some of our guests have dogs, and we make these welcome too, providing them with food and water.

We are averaging five to seven showers per week – eight on a really busy Saturday! We are also feeding rough sleepers, Big Issue sellers, and our shower guests, with hot bacon rolls, food packs and as many teas and coffees as they require. We open for two hours only and it can be a hectic session with between 25 and 30 people enjoying the hot food and drink we serve.

In the last year we have handed out upwards of 1500 breakfast food packs and have given over 300 guests the opportunity to have a hot shower with all toiletries, towels etc. supplied. Most importantly, we have greeted our guests as we would wish to be greeted, with open and caring hearts. We know that our guests appreciate and value our service and for the most part, they know too, that this project is but a small part of Amma’s worldwide humanitarian activities.

For Christmas 2009 we handed out useful presents of underwear, socks, toiletries and chocolate treats and served turkey with stuffing to our guests. We also opened with a skeleton team on Boxing Day.

The Shower Project is run by a Management Committee of members of Friends of Amma (UK). There is a core group of co-ordinators and trained project workers, and many enthusiastic volunteers. Most are Oxford based, including a number of students who volunteer in term time, but Friends of Amma from Stratford-on-Avon, Reading and London also volunteer from time to time. We are also fortunate to have some local volunteers who are not Amma devotees but simply want to help the homeless and support our efforts.

The project is entirely supported by donations. Fund-raising is an on-going process, ranging from appeals to various colleges to sponsored runs and other events and collection boxes in local supermarkets. We have also been fortunate in receiving some generous donations from private individuals.

The Vicar of St Giles, Rev. Andrew Bunch, and Andrew Smith, the Director of the Gatehouse Café for the homeless (where we initially gained enough experience to be able to open the Shower), have given us much help and support. Both have endorsed our efforts in writing. and have given us permission to use these endorsements in our fund-raising efforts and our publicity material.

Visit website: http://www.oxfordshowerproject.org.uk/

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING OR DONATING?
WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW IT WORKS?

CONTACT US

Volunteering and Further Information:

Eleanor 01865 241677 (eleanormaythompson@hotmail.co.uk)
or
Stuart 07950 099200 (oxfordfriendsofamma@yahoo.co.uk)

Donations:

For donations please make out cheques  to ‘Friends of Amma Oxford’ and send to:
M. Sofroniou, 73 Evesham Road, Stratford-on-Avon. CV37 9BA

Thank you Mother for your blessings on all who cry out to you. And thank you again for allowing us to carry out this work in your name.

FRIENDS OF AMMA SHOWER PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
OXFORD
UNITED KINGDOM