“I have been overwhelmed by the support we have received over the past four months in Bedford; the local response to COVID-19 has been unbelievable. Communities have united to support SMART CJS and smash the SMART Prebend Centre emergency appeal target!
A message from Anita McCallum, SMART CJS CEO. “I am delighted to report that, thanks to the generosity and kindness of SMART CJS supporters, the SMART Prebend Centre emergency appeal has reached an amazing £26,500.”
In a recent survey it was reported that over eight in ten of those performing Trustee roles said that it made them happier and over one in five said that they got a promotion as a result of their service. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to bring their experience and knowledge to our board of trustees. The board is our governing body, providing strategy and direction and ensuring we’re run according to the rules.
SMART CJS’s services continue to be heavily influenced by the current pandemic and keeping staff and users of our services safe. We continue to redesign how we work to keep helping those who need it – with ever-increasing demand from those who have been badly affected.
SMART CJS is delighted to have been awarded a much-needed grant of £20,000 from the Panacea Charitable Trust, a charity based in Bedford. This fantastic contribution will help to cover, otherwise unfunded, staffing costs as they continue to deliver an emergency response to the outbreak of Covid-19 for Bedford’s homeless population.
Despite only being able to meet ‘virtually’ and not able to undertake their usual fundraising, the Bedford Rotary Club has awarded SMART CJS £2000 to help boost the SMART Prebend Centre Covid-19 emergency appeal.
SMART CJS has won a £1,000 Movement for Good award thanks to nominations from our supporters. We are one of 500 winners in specialist insurer Ecclesiastical’s Movement for Good awards, which is giving £1million to charities this summer.
An update from SMART CJS’s CEO, Anita McCallum. Read about the positive results achieved by the SMART Bedford team, who have helped 48 homeless people into suitable accommodation, during this most challenging of times.
On 19th May 2020, The Rotary Club of Bedford Park showed their continued commitment to the SMART Prebend Centre by donating an extremely generous £2000, and it could not have come at a more crucial time.
Back in March, when the country went into lockdown, we realised that we were going to have a SHORTFALL of £25,000 in donations from the groups which normally meet and raise funds for our projects. We also anticipated additional money being required to relocate and change our service model. This is why we launched our emergency appeal, which, with your help, has raised £9,109 so far.
£1,000 could make a big difference to the work we do at the SMART Prebend Centre. That’s why we’d be really grateful if you could nominate us in the Ecclesiastical Movement for Good awards. Your nomination could be the one that wins us £1,000!
WONDERFUL NEWS – The Harpur Trust has awarded SMART CJS funding as part of the Bedfordshire Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund. The money is paying for a skilled worker for 3 months who would otherwise have been furloughed.
Read our latest news bulletin for March and April. This edition will look at the impact COVID-19 has had on SMART CJS’s services and how we have had to redesign how we work to keep helping those in need.
We are proud of our work and feel privileged to have the opportunity to help people to help themselves. We care greatly for all of our service users and are motivated to help them to succeed. The report includes some of their stories, along with facts and figures about our work. We hope that you find it informative and inspirational.
Many questions are being asked about homelessness and COVID-19 right now, the answers to which are not always obvious and often complex. To help, we have produced a guide to understanding the Homeless and Rough Sleeper community and COVID-19.
SMART CJS’s normal service and support to rough sleepers and the homeless in Bedford and Milton Keynes has been severely disrupted due to the current pandemic. Restrictions and safety directives from the Government advise everyone to STAY AT HOME. Hostels and centres have had to close to ensure that social distancing rules are observed. WE NEED YOUR HELP
Information, advice and resources for people due to attend SMART CJS services. We are continually updating our information and ensuring a safe environment for our service users, staff, suppliers, sub-contractors and volunteers.
We are delighted to have been nominated as CTM-IT’s charity of the year! CTM’s main fundraising focus will be on collaborating and supporting SMART CJS homeless and rough sleepers services in Bedford and Milton Keynes. This will include raising money for the Prebend Centre in Bedford, which receives no statutory funding and needs to raise £250K per year to stay open.
Information, advice and resources for people due to attend SMART CJS services. We are continually updating our information and ensuring a safe environment for our service users, staff, suppliers, sub-contractors and volunteers.
We are delighted to announce the CRIB Appeal has raised over £60,000 for the SMART Prebend Centre in Bedford, thanks to an outstanding response from the local community.