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Dinner guest Bee, photo copyright Tonga Akmen/FT

28 December 2020

Article by Robert Wright in the Financial Times published Christmas day features photos and interviews with staff, volunteers and guests of Glass Door.

"Glass Door has this winter for the first time opened two hostels where homeless people each have their own room, but space is limited. While the charity’s partner churches would normally offer 170 spaces nightly on church floors, the two hostels house 92," Robert writes. 

The article goes on to quote Asitha Ameresekere, a film-maker who is a volunteer coordinator at the Friday night dinner operations in Chelsea. The new arrangements had been “quite challenging”, Asitha told the FT.

Yet the new arrangements were still clearly meeting a need, Robert writes. A guest of the services, Mark, is quoted as saying:

Having a place to go to for food every night is pretty amazing.

Another guest, Bee, who has accommodation but relies on Glass Door as her source of regular hot food, is also quoted:

Their dedication to the service is astounding.

Alex Norris, a Glass Door caseworker, said it was easier to work with clients staying in a hostel than in a succession of church halls. Alex said:

They’re not going to worry about getting out into the driving rain first thing in the morning and walking to the next place.


Find the full article on the FT website (limited time free link, or register and read eight articles a month for free at https://www.ft.com/register)

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