Caring for those in need

Parish Welfare Officers

The parish employs a part-time Welfare Team, who work in the name of the parish to bring practical help and support to the needy people of our town. A message can be left on the answer-phone if you are aware of anyone with a special need of help, for example with extra food.

The Soup Bowl

The ‘Soup Bowl’ is at 31 Crescent Road, just along from St Augustine’s Church, and is open every afternoon, including weekends, from 4.30-5.30 in order to provide soup and sandwiches to the hungry and homeless in our town. The property is leased to us by the Borough Council for a peppercorn rent, and the parish employs a part-time manager to run the project. We rely on a noble band of volunteers from St Augustine’s and other churches, most of whom help once every three weeks to provide this vital service for the needy. If you would like to help in this way (often quite difficult), and are happy to arrive at about 4.00 and clear up after the clients leave, then contact Yvonne Pursey.

St. Vincent de Paul Society

The members of our local S.V.P. group visit those in need, and bring practical help when they can. Our group meets every fortnight, and new members are very welcome. Leave your name and number at the parish office.

Tins, jars, packs & cheese!

In the church porch at St Augustine’s there is a special basket marked ‘Soup Bowl’ and ‘SVP’. Each Sunday, but also on other days of the week, parishioners drop in tins of food, packs of cheese and sugar, jars of coffee, and other items which can be used in the ‘Soup Bowl’, given out at the door of the Priests’ House to those many who call, or taken round to people’s homes by our Welfare Team and SVP.

Particularly welcome are tins of corned beef (easily opened by the homeless), tuna, cooked meats and cheese (for ‘Soup Bowl’ sandwiches), soup (especially thick vegetable soup), tinned vegetables and fruit, and coffee and sugar. Any non-perishable foods which can be easily cooked by needy families are very welcome.

On ‘Tins Sunday’ each year in October, we have our special brand of Harvest Festival, with hundreds of tins brought to church and laid before the altar before Mass and by the children at the Offertory, and hundreds more brought in from Harvest Services at local schools. This helps to keep us going for the year.

Sheltering the Homeless

For some time now the local Councils, agencies concerned for the homeless and the churches have been exploring ways to cater for the many homeless people in Tunbridge Wells. Some have serious problems with alcohol and drugs. Others do not usually have such problems, and simply need a bed for a night or two before they move on elsewhere. For the latter group of people, Christians Together in Tunbridge Wells for many years provided a hostel called ‘Nightstop’ at which they could stay for a few nights. St Augustine’s was one of the main sponsoring bodies, and we are now supporting the new hostel which provides both long-term and emergency places.

Christmas Dinner for the
Needy & Lonely

Each year on Christmas Day, our parish provides a Christmas Dinner for anyone in our town who needs it - the homeless, the lonely, the needy. Each year we ask for volunteers to help with transport to and from the dinner, with catering and serving, preparing and clearing up. For the helpers it is not a chore, but a privilege and a joy to make people happy on Christmas Day.

Emmaus Counselling Service

This is a Christian counselling service, approved by local churches of all denominations. Its counsellors offer help and support to those experiencing a whole range of issues and problems. EMMAUS abides by the codes of Ethics and Practice of the British association for Counselling, and the Association of Christian Counsellors. No fixed charge is made for counselling, but contributions are requested.

Alcoholics Anonymous

A.A. uses one of our parish meeting rooms on a regular basis, meeting on Sunday evenings at 7.15, on Monday evenings at 7.30, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 8.00, and also at Thursday lunchtime from noon and on Saturdays from 11.00 a.m. onwards. If you have a drinking problem and want help, you will be very welcome. Click HERE for the AA web site.

Catholic AIDS Link (CAL)

CAL is a group offering non-judgemental, spiritual, emotional, practical and financial support to those affected by HIV/AIDS. Contact Catholic AIDS Link at P.O.Box 646, London E9 6QP (tel. 0171-485 7298). Please do not hesitate to approach any of the parish team if you have HIV or AIDS, or know someone who does.

Other Groups

Several other groups meet regularly in our parish rooms, including a Blind Club fortnightly on Thursday mornings, and an Epilepsy Group. Other local care organisations are advertised on the notice-board in the church porch, including ones dealing with domestic violence, cancer, HIV and AIDS. If you have a particular need, this notice-board is a good place to begin to look for help.