I was a stranger and you invited me in

Homelessness Sunday Service

Personal items stored under a benchA special service marking Homelessness Sunday and involving various local Christian churches was held in the newly refurbished Social Centre at the Crypt on Sunday 31st January.

 

The service, entitled “Enough for All”, took place in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Leeds.

The Bishop of Ripon & Leeds, Rt. Revd John Packer, was  present and gave the blessing at the end of the service.

Revd Dr. Liz Smith, Chair of Leeds Methodist District offered a word of thanks and encouragement to all those working with the homeless in the region.

The offering from the service will be donated to Water Aid.

Following the service, all present were invited to remain for a shared meal.

Chris Fields, Chief  Executive Officer of the Crypt, said, “We are delighted to be acting as hosts for this very important and significant service. It will also be special as it will be the first act of worship in the newly redeveloped and expanded Crypt.”

  • New Chaplain for the homeless

    Up to 100 people packed the Assisi Café in the Crypt to witness the licensing of Revd Steve Dye as the Diocesan Chaplain for the Homeless by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, John Packer.

    Read more... Link  

  • Staff Fun Day

    Many staff and full-time volunteers/bank staff enjoyed a very sunny day in Bolton Abbey. We started with tea & coffee prepared by the CEO on a camping stove (it must have been warm he had his legs out!!!!!).

    Read more... Link  

  • Housing Minister revisits the Crypt

    Housing Minister Grant Shapps revisited the Crypt to see for himself how recent refurbishments have meant a range of services under one roof to local homeless people.

    Read more... Link  

  • Beeston Festival

    This year was the 3rd year we booked ourselves a stall at the Beeston Festival.  It has grown from one stall in 2008 to us being able to fill up 3 stalls in 2010.  The weather was very kind to us after a very wet week.  The sun shone all day and lots of people visited the event.

    Read more... Link  

  • Update: John Gentle

    John Gentle, the 75 year old grandfather who ran for St George’s Crypt, duly completed his trek from Ripon to Leeds, arriving promptly at 6pm (as he had predicted!).

    Read more... Link  

  • Leeds Building Society donates £1,300 to the Crypt

    Leeds Building Society has made a £1,300 donation to the Crypt. This donation is the Charitable Incentive Donation from Leeds Building Society’s Annual General Meeting. Leeds Building Society donated 10p for every postal vote received and 20p for every internet vote. Members selected which partner charity they wanted to receive the donation from their vote.

    Read more... Link  

  • A Time for Reflection

    Another interesting article by, James Legg, a Leeds Student reporter this time talking to one of our former service users and now member of staff, Andrew, about the journey that lead him to the Crypt.

    Read more... Link  

  • BBC Radio Leeds

    Andrew Heseltine, one of our Support Workers at Regent Terrace hostel, is the guest on BBC Radio Leeds’ One on One programme on Wendesday 2nd June between 2pm and 3pm – a “Desert Island Discs” type show – where he will talk about his life which is a very humbling and inspiring story about his successful battle with alcohol dependency. Do try to tune in or listen to it later on the iplayer.