This #SouthwarkAdvent we visited the Pilgrims’ Rest: a community of volunteers, charity workers and vulnerable people, at Christ Church Blackfriars.
The Pilgrims’ Rest is a project that supports vulnerable people, and creates a space that not only meets their practical needs (with showers, laundry facilities, refreshment and access to on-site specialist care provided by charity partners) but also builds friendships and community. Father Lee explained how the Pilgrims’ Rest utilises two of the strengths of the Church: our collective heritage of hospitality and having pleasant, useable space in the heart of London where people can come together, eat, play games and at the same time see a nurse or their caseworkers.
We joined them on their Christmas party where the pilgrims, including rough sleepers, refugees and women fleeing domestic violence, gathered for a fantastic festive buffet generously donated by local law firm Boodle Hatfield. Each pilgrim was also given a gift box of around £50-60 in value including gloves, hats, toiletries, gift cards and chocolate, donated by charities, businesses, individuals and other churches – our thanks to those of you who gave towards this. A number of the gift bags themselves were decorated by local schoolchildren, adding a very personal touch to each Christmas present.
Pilgrims’ Rest is about building community alongside service provision – alongside the Thursday hub, which we joined them on, they also run other hubs including support for those who are further along the support journey to look at employment or training opportunities. Across the three hubs the project supports around 120 people a week, working closely with partners like St Mungo’s, St Giles Trust and the NHS.
