NEWCASTLE KITCHEN DIARY

22nd May 2011

Trustees:         Carl, Sheila,

Volunteers:      Phil,  Norma, Rebecca

Visitors:           Jim, Djdusey, Sonny, George, Richard, Wendy

Attendance:     58

 

It was a busy kitchen but enjoyable. Now that Rebecca and Norma manage to get most weeks I am able to get out and talk more to our friends.

 

Daniel was again in good spirits and flaunting his homosexuality. He had been drinking and he knows that this makes him act in an unacceptable manner. At least he has not been self harming lately.

 

I was able to have a good chat with Brian. He has been coming along for many months but keeps himself to himself. He has been on the sick for over a year and surviving on sickness benefit so he comes along for a hot meal. He has sciatica and is due to go for a medical review in a couple of weeks as they have moved him onto the lowest level of benefit.

 

Greg had asked for a pair of trainers last week and we were able to give him a pair of Carl's. I had looked all over for a cheap pair of size 11 trainers but everyone had all sizes but 11. He was delighted!

 

Scott has been coming to the kitchen for a while. He had been working for the Cyrenians helping the homeless to sort out benefits and housing. He is a reformed heroine addict himself so has been on both sides of the fence. He is looking for work among the homeless but realises that his C.V. doesn’t look too good with his past addiction problems. He is surviving on £136 benefit a fortnight and just managing with the upkeep of his flat. He went home to his mam’s in Aberdeen for the winter months to avoid putting the heating on.

 

Peter and Kyle came towards the end of the kitchen. We have not seen them for a few months and they were both looking well.

 

Michael has been doing really well in the flat and has just finished his plastering course. However, this week he went out drinking. The result was he set a motorbike alight which fell against a back gate that caught light. The police arrested him and charged him with arson and endangering lives. He is in court next month. He realises he did wrong and also that he has to face up to what he did.

 

Dillon came along to the kitchen again this week. He was one of the new faces that had been party to the fighting a couple of weeks ago. He is in a really bad way with alcohol abuse and could barely stand up. We were able to give him some food but other than telling me he wanted to marry me he was pretty much incoherent.

 

Myra came as we were getting ready to leave. She is a woman who has been a couple of times in the past and doesn’t appear to have any addictions but she is homeless. She had been assaulted on Saturday night and she was in a bad way. We had no food left but thankfully someone had left a bag with some cakes in and she was able to have them and a bottle of water. She asked us to pray for her and Norma and I were only too pleased to pray with her. She has a bible and is holding onto the promise that God is with her. She needs clothing and bedding, which we will try and sort this week.

 

As always your prayers for the work in general are greatly appreciated.

 

Sheila Heron