A Visit to the Felsted Mission

By Holly P and the Charity Team
 


It was a great privilege to visit the Felsted Mission in East London. Going to the Ascension church was a great way to see how Felsted helps the Mission and how we can help more in the future, and in more efficient ways. We were shown around the garden and informed about the community garden and how much it helps the younger generations, especially those who face specific challenges.

It was great to see how big an impact little things can make, but also how much the volunteers and workers put into the charity in Newham. Hearing stories about so many individuals, where people were days away from being homeless, shows the severe reality that people are faced with, and highlights how wonderful the work that is happening is.

The wonderful people at the food bank and the amount of organisation it takes to coordinate each crate for all the different sized families, from donations they have no control over and no ability to predict, is beyond inspiring.

The Mission has given a new perspective and really allowed us to think about how we can help and what things we can do to have the greatest impact, for example instead of giving another can of beans, although any help is always greatly appreciated, nappies, toiletries and sanitary products are generally scarce and also harder for those in need to afford.

We were enthusiastic to help in any way we could and after visiting the Garden Community Cafe we were encouraged to explore our creative side by drawing Christmas inspired art across the front window of the Garden Community Cafe. Whilst this was an exciting experience it was also a strategy to attract the public to visit the cafe, as we wanted to create a welcoming and happy environment. We were also able to see how the staff of the cafe create opportunities for those who need it most. The cafe provided many opportunities for the public to help out. This included advanced payments from visitors to pay for others who may not be able to afford a hot meal. Along with books, films and computers available for use without any consequential complications or costs.

It was eye opening to see how different the two areas and the people beside each other were and how excluded it was. It is important for us to realise this as we are the ones who not only have the means to help but we are also the future and we are the ones who can make the difference that is needed even one step at a time. It’s important for us to recognise how privileged some of us are compared to other areas of London.