About us
Chapter 15 is an entirely volunteer led charity providing support and friendship for people affected by homelessness and its long term consequences. The overall objective of Chapter 15 is to support people out of homelessness and ensure they remain and flourish in suitable accommodation with the value, security and dignity that this should afford.
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We do this by providing:
Shower and laundry facilities along with haircut's and foot care
Clothing and personal items
Refreshments, advice and support
A place to meet for friendship
A link to Breckland Rough Sleeping Team
A link to other charities and groups offering meals and support
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We do this from our centre in the Riversdale Centre Annex three times a week.
You can find out when we by clicking the link: Getting help
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This is the change we believe in:
'You do not know what this means to me. Having a shower, a shave and my hair cut makes me feel human again. I feel such shame seeing people look at me and walk away from me, but not anymore.'
Our Charitable Objectives
This is what we aim to do and what we will always work towards:
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Our objectives and activities
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To provide homeless people living in Thetford with:
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Access to showers and laundry facilities.
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Basic hygiene supplies, clothing and other essentials such as sleeping and camping equipment (when available).
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Refreshments during centre open times along with friendship, support and encouragement.
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Access to local authority advice and support as well as access to the support of other charities within Thetford.​
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To provide people recovering from homelessness in Thetford (who have been provided with accommodation but who remain vulnerable):with:
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Refreshments during centre open times along with friendship, support and encouragement.
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Access to local authority advice and support as well as access to the support of other charities within Thetford.
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How it all began
A small team of ordinary people got together under the leadership and vision of Nadine (far left in photo) to strive to make a change to the lives of people with no permanent accommodation and/or little or no income. Initially, this started in 2017 as a coffee morning in Thetford library. A small group of volunteers showed up every Saturday with free food and created a warm, friendly, safe place where people could read a newspaper, charge their phones, and come in from the cold weather. Most importantly, the ‘guests’ could sit down and have honest conversations and human connection. There was also the offer of practical items such as clothes, toiletries, sleeping bags, and tents. There was even the visit of hairdressers so people and the opportunity to signpost individuals to other key charities, services, and churches who could offer support.
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On the 20th of February 2020, Chapter 15 celebrated becoming a registered charity, a huge milestone. Sadly, in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic most of the plans had to be put on hold and Nadine along with her volunteers had to develop new ways for the charity to continue offering support. For people in the town with no permanent accommodation, COVID-19 had limited their access to some services as there were few places to keep warm during winter. Chapter15 continued to assist with practical living needs such as clean water, power banks for charging phones, clean clothes, and several other practical items. Volunteers also visited their camps weekly to ensure their well-being and mental health.
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The lockdown highlighted the huge needs of the homeless and as a result the Thetford Town Crisis Network Group was started. Key people drew upon their skills, knowledge and resources and set a plan of action. Nadine represented Chapter 15 and to be the voice of people experiencing homelessness. She raised the needs that homeless people had shared with her, which was access to showers. So began the journey to what we see today with showers, laundry facilities and a safe, warm and welcoming space in our Riversdale Centre Annex (opening ceremony left).
Why are we called Chapter 15?
Nadine, the founder of Chapter 15 chose this name to reflect some significant '15's' in her life. This included founding Chapter 15 (in its original format) in 2015.
She also wanted the charity to reflect her Christian faith and God's heart to reach out to those most in need. This is demonstrated very powerfully in Chapter 15 of Luke's Gospel in the New Testament of the Bible. Here, Jesus tells some earthly stories we would all understand to reflect deeper heavenly truths.​ Luke chapter 15 contains three wonderful stories of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son.
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The Lost Sheep: In this story one sheep out of a hundred goes astray and even though it may not be missed amidst such a large flock, the shepherd still values it enough to go and look for it. The story tells us even when we feel lost in a crowd, God still sees us and reaches out to us. The homeless often say they feel invisible because people ignore them, look away from them and walk around them. This story tells us they are not invisible to God (or to all of the volunteers at Chapter 15).
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The Lost Coin: In this story a women loses one of ten coins in her home. This is a much bigger loss (a rise from 1% to 10%) so she turns on the light and hunts high and low until she finds it. Then she calls her neighbours together to celebrate that she has found her lost coin. This story tells us it is important and rewarding to search for the lost and restore to them value and respect. This is why Chapter 15 is here, to help people who have fallen into homelessness to recover and find a dignified pathway out of it.
The Lost Son: Perhaps the most famous story ever told and believed by many to be the best short story ever written. It tells the story of a son who has lost his way through many bad decisions. He ends up homeless, alienated from his family, destitute and filled with regret. When he finally decides he has no choice but to go home he expects to be rejected as a son, but s he nears his home he finds his father running towards him with arms open wide. His welcome home is beyond anything he could ever have imagined. All the volunteers at Chapter 15 hope we can make those who turn to us in the worst times welcome, valued and supported as we work with them on their pathway out of homelessness.​​
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You can read Chapter 15 of Luke's Gospel by clicking here
