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5th Anniversary for the “Best Restaurant in Town”
Although said with tongue in cheek many of our clients have said:
“the food is the best I have tasted” transient rough sleeper travels round the country
“This soup is wonderful, its like a meal in itself “ - homeless person staying in a hostel
“ You treat us like Kings and Queens” – vulnerable young woman - sofa surfing.
Dave at the Banquet Run
A restaurant without walls, a restaurant that serves the best quality food for free, always hot, always on time, served with a smile, a listening ear and prayer for those who want it. A restaurant where everyone is welcome especially those who have no money or are struggling financially or have other issues in their lives, there is no need to tip the waiters. In fact some of the people who help to serve the food, have in the past been in the same situation, and are able to offer encouragement and comfort, that things will get better. A restaurant where everyone is treated with respect, love and dignity, and not judged by the clothes they wear or for the situation they find themselves in. The seating arrangement is sometimes a little cramped,
and a little hard, but people are so pleased to be among friends they are willing to stand, and many of them have had to sleep in a lot worse conditions so it becomes of little consequence. When some of the clients arrive late and the food has already been given out, people who have come early , willingly share what they have with those who have had none.
The name of the restaurant ?
“The Banquet Run”
Over the last five years we have served approximately 17,000 meals to those who have been homeless and/or vulnerable, at no cost to those who eat there. We receive no statutory funding for the Banquet Run, but continue to serve the highest quality food . In the winter the hot food helps to keep people alive especially those sleeping out rough on the streets. People’s lives have been touched and changed. One lad who had been coming to us for the winter months for food, turned up after an absence of a couple of months, he was dressed smartly and clean shaven. He said “ I just wanted to pop back to say thanks for all you did for me, I’m working now and have my own flat, but if it wasn’t for you I probably wouldn’t of made it through the winter”
The good food, much of which is home made along with the friendship and care that is shared, gives people a sense of worth and dignity, it says “we believe in you and you can make it” at times when many of our friends on the streets have given up on themselves.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our friends and supporters who have given both financially and practically over the last five years, you have played a major part in this valuable work, without you, many people would of died on the streets of Salisbury in the winter months, many would of continued to believe the lie, that they were “a waste of space” and that no-one really cared, but the truth is : we do………
Looking forward to the next five years……..
Summer News from “The New Life Centre”
The summer months have been very busy. ~In May some of our friends and supporters from the Bemerton  Parish, visited the Centre. It was a beautiful day and some of the residents and a couple of the lads who attend the daily program had lunch with us. Then in July we also had friends and supporters from Coombe Bisset Fellowship who were introduced to some of the residents ,we had a great time together. Many of these people have supported us from the beginning and have watched as the work of the charity has grown over the last five years. It is always lovely to see people at the centre, and as they say “a picture is worth a thousand words”, once you have been, its easier to visualize how the various projects all dovetail together.
 T h i s s e a son we have seen bumper crops from our organic gardens.
All the lads who have been on the residential and the daily project have played a part in the growing of the vegetables.
The veg are then used for meals at the New Life Centre, and for the Banquet Run, some of the vegetables are sold locally along with our fresh eggs.
<<Glen with massive onions grown in the garden
Sharon, Dave and Xiaomei with giant cabbage grown in the garden
Enjoying a barbecue in the garden
Congratulations
As part of the residential program, after the first stages of the program, we aim to find relevant p/t training and voluntary work for people . This is to increase their skills and experience base, and start to prepare them for moving on into employment and their own accommodation.
Sharon who joined the program three years ago this September, with the help of her faith in God has dramatically changed her life around. Sharon has moved from many years of drug and alcohol abuse, in and out of rehabs, and feeling as though she had no hope or future , to a full and meaningful life. Experiencing the joy of restored relationships with family members, freedom from addiction and hope for the future . While Sharon has been with us, she has shown an increasing awareness and care for people who have gone, or are going through similar situtations to the ones she had to face in the past, and for the last year has been working alongside Dave and Bev as a Junior member of staff. This has involved helping to look after new clients coming on the program, especially vulnerable women, she has also taken over the responsibility for the provision and preparation of the food for the Banquet Run. (apart from the home made soup, which is Daves territory) . In recent months Sharon has also been working to gain her City and Guilds in Maths and English.
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