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UK News
Helping the homeless in Oxford
Update: 23rd December 2007 - UK's first humanitarian aid project
(See below for volunteers experiences with working with the homeless.)
Amma gives thumbs up to Shower Project
During Amma's visit to Alexandra Palace, four of the Oxford devotees were speaking to Br Shubamrita about the Shower Project during darshan. Amma turned to them and gave them the thumbs up sign. That was very reassuring. "According to Br Shubamirita, Amma is pleased with our progress and wants us to continue," said Stuart Walters who is co-ordinating the project. "Thank you, Amma, for your support."
Oxford Shower project
Amma encouraged us about 18 months ago to help Oxford ’s homeless have access to a shower. Showers for the homeless are badly needed in Oxford . We have just been given the go ahead for our project – the first humanitarian aid project initiated by Oxford Friends of Amma.
We shall need help. Every week we shall need two volunteers to be present alongside an experienced project worker. Please volunteer. It is an easy job. Just two hours is required. The more who volunteer, the less need there will be to call on any one individual. We may need volunteers to commit themselves only once every 6 weeks. Training will be available. We plan to make the shower available every Saturday morning between 11.00 and 13.00.
There are a number of ways in which you can help:
offer your own time - email oxfordfriendsofamma@yahoo.co.uk or
- ring Eleanor on 01865 241 677 or Stuart on 0795 0099200;
- ask family and friends to offer help– they don’t have to be Amma devotees;
- ask family and friends if they know others who might help;
- pass on everyone’s name, phone number, email address (if available);
- donate shower/bath gel, liquid soap, towels, razors and razor blades, sanitary towels, toilet paper (send items to Shower Project c/o the Gatehouse, Northgate Hall, 18 St Michael Street , Oxford OX1 2DU )
- The Oxford Shower project has a new bank account. Please make your donation cheques payable to "Friends of Amma Oxford a/c" and send them to: Dayakaran (Shower Project), Highlands , Well Hill, Finstock, OX7 3BU. Donations will help us pay for employing a project worker; insurance and shower related materials.
Please contact Oxford Friends of Amma for details on
oxfordfriendsofamma@yahoo.co.uk or Stuart Walters on 0795 0099200.Inspired by Amma's support, a number of devotees have spent time over the past year helping out at The Gatehouse (a drop-in centre for the homeless in Oxford - visit www.oxfordgatehouse.org)
An update: 15th March 2007
Just over a year ago Amma pointedly encouraged us to work with the homeless in Oxford. Inspired by Amma’s support, a number of Amma devotees have spent the best part of the last year helping out at the Gatehouse, a drop in centre for the homeless in Oxford. (for details of the Gatehouse go to http://www.oxfordgatehouse.org/).
As you will see from the comments below it has
proved a very moving experience.
“The beauty and charm of selfless service
should never die away from the face of this earth. The world should know that a life of dedication is possible; that a life inspired by love and service is
possible” - - Amma
Eleanor
What joy my experiences at the Gatehouse have brought me. Working in a team of students, social workers, teachers and administrators – volunteers from all walks of life. For 2 to 3 hours all our efforts are directed to ensuring the ‘guests’ are warm, fed good food and can relax in comfortable surroundings with help and advice on offer from experienced project workers.These women and men help each other where they can – they certainly try to support those they see as worse off than themselves. And to us, with our comfortable homes, material possessions and loving relations or friends perhaps initially it would appear that the homeless have very little. But we have much to learn from them. It is so humbling to see C, a rough spoken individual, rummaging in his rucksack to give a pair of clean trousers to an older man. To listen to another guest, a drug user, tell me – as we were talking about Iraq – that seeing people being bombed and living in fear made him realise how lucky he was. And A, a frail old man, who remembers to thank each and every volunteer for their support with courtesy and grace. This is undoubtedly a wonderful experience - enriching, humbling and meaningful. Everyone should try it!
Daisy
It is too bad that I discovered "The Gatehouse" at the end of my stay in Oxford. It was wonderful to partake in a project that is of fundamental importance in the lives of others, and to do so along with such wonderful, interesting and warm hearted people. I looked forward to volunteering at the Gatehouse on Fridays and miss everyone very much.Ann
Well, it just felt so right to perform service without any wish to receive thanks or gratification or recognition. I would also say how much I am learning about myself and others in being within a (new) group each time I go and working together as a team. There is no time for ego - we all 'muck' in together. And the words for me are always 'there but for the Grace of God go I' and 'we are all the same' I try at all times to look into each person's eyes and see their soul. And I find myself 'connecting' with them as I meditate afterwards at home.Marcus
Volunteering at the Gatehouse has proved to be so very rewarding. It is an opportunity to help people who are genuinely in need and it challenges any preconceptions about the homeless. I feel fortunate to be a part of a team of people who, in the service of others, support each other in a real spirit of togetherness, regardless of faith or background.Puri
Volunteering at the Gatehouse is a wonderful experience. One can share and learn so much from the ‘guests’. They are open, friendly and deeply human. One integrates also into a group of fantastic volunteers and project workers, who work like a team, giving of their best to make it a great session. But the only way of knowing what volunteering at the Gatehouse is like is to experience it. So I invite you all to try and see how you feel and how it transforms your life.Stuart
What surprised me was how rewarding it was to spend just 2 hours or so helping the homeless. It is difficult to find words to do justice to this. ‘Rewarding’, ‘fulfilling’, ‘satisfying’, ‘uplifting’ and ‘moving’ do not really convey it. It has been the most fulfilling work I have ever done. I get a strong sense of doing something useful in a way I have never experienced before. It is rewarding because one realises how much importance many of the ‘guests’ attach to what is being done for them: many are desperate for food and drink, and grateful for acknowledgment, non-judgemental acceptance and a brief hello. They also appreciate it as a safe haven where they can relax. It’s such a friendly place with an amazing variety of people of all ages and backgroundsThe team spirit generated amongst the volunteers is also partly responsible for this moving experience as is the superb organisation of the whole operation, which seems to work seamlessly. Volunteers support each other and avoid criticism. I have rarely seen such teamwork in action.
Joolz (Aparna)
The Gatehouse……. A mix of ordinary folk, really. Folk just like you and me. Some chatty, happy to be ‘home’, to have a ‘home’, albeit for 2 hours a day. Others silent. Sullen and withdrawn. No need for pretence here. A couple are excessively polite and well spoken, a few lacking a certain social grace, almost rude. Nothing personal. Two highly image conscious ladies, jewel beladen and sporting garish lipstick. The men more nonchalant in their dress, although rather light in warmth, for an English February, Outdoors. All……….every one of the 200 or so guests that evening, Grateful. Grateful for the hot soup, for the sandwiches the cake, and Oh! The bonuses………..Unlimited thick and freshly sliced bread, with peanut butter and jam, marmite, honey, or just plain old butter. Given freely, Accepted willingly. Grateful not just for the food, but also our time. Gratitude also for companionship. Many wanting to talk….just general chit chat. “Where are you from then?” “I love your Om necklace – where did you get that?” “India – oh, I love India!”
The air is warm with evaporated damp, quiet returns to the Gatehouse as the trail of tobacco smoke follows the last shuffling footsteps through the heavy door onto the rain washed streets. As we leave, a little while later, Groups of students swagger To a college ball, High heels clacking the cobblestones, Laughter piercing the chilly air. And it occurred to me, Any one of these students could be a guest at the Gatehouse.One day. Who knows what tomorrow brings?
Contact Stuart at stuart.zwalters@ virgin.net
to help at the Gatehouse.
Donations
The Oxford Shower project has a new bank account. Please make your donation cheques payable to "Friends of Amma Oxford a/c" and send them to: Dayakaran (Shower Project), Highlands , Well Hill, Finstock, OX7 3BU. Donations will help us pay for employing a project worker; insurance and shower related materials.
