In the News

No room at the inn: UK homeless charities turn away Xmas volunteers: The Guardian, 10/12/2018

The director of the charity’s Hull and East Riding branch, Kelly Finnis, said:

We typically get two applications a month but since the start of December we’ve turned down 13 people who wanted to work just on Christmas day.

It’s kind and well-meaning but we want commitment all year through. A flash in the pan just doesn’t work for us – vulnerable adults that are already at their lowest ebb at Christmas don’t want to be around strangers. They want to be around people they know and trust.”

These four men were all homeless but look at them now – here are their stories

Dressed up in their finest suits, their hair combed and with smiles on their faces, it is hard to imagine how these four men ever ended up on the streets.

All four men have faced cold nights, hungry sleeps and the feeling of despair as they desperately try to break free from the clutches of homelessness.

The reasons these men ended up on the streets are all very different – but they do have one big thing in common. They were all helped by Emmaus, the charity dedicated to helping the homeless.

Two of them are at the beginning of their journey off the streets, the other two are at the end.

We caught up with them at the recently opened Barrow Boys, as they were treated to a special Christmas meal at Tommy Coyle’s new bar and restaurant to find out their stories.

Read the full story from the Hull Daily Mail here