I just wanted to give you three quick but important updates from GrowTH:

• Night shelter changes 2020-21

Unsurprisingly, current government guidance says that it is not safe for night shelters to operate in the usual format, moving between church buildings etc. Therefore, we are looking for a new venue that we can use as a shelter, for this winter season only, which allows separation of guests into enclosed areas/rooms and can be used every night of the week. We are exploring a wide range of options, but we are still a long way off securing one. Ideas include: flats/houses with a few bedrooms, unused schools, offices, hotels, student accommodation, care homes. Some venues would obviously need to be adapted significantly. We expect to return to the usual church venue format as soon as it is allowed.

We wanted to make you aware of this as our partner churches are absolutely central to GrowTH's mission, and we cannot do anything without your continued support! We hope we can count on your church to continue loving and serving our homeless neighbours through the GrowTH night shelter, throughout the unpredictable season ahead. We need you more than ever!

Right now, we are asking our partner churches to:

- PRAY that we would find a suitable shelter venue for a good number of guests.

- SPREAD THE WORD that GrowTH is looking for a venue!

- COMMIT TO SENDING VOLUNTEERS so that the shelter can happen, and so that our guests can experience God's love in word and deed through the local church, despite the shelter not being inside the church!

• Invitation to church partners

We are inviting all leaders and key coordinators from our partner churches to join us for an hour at the start of our team Away Day to pray together for the season ahead and enjoy a short time of fellowship. Details:

WHEN: Friday 11th September, 8.30-9.30am (coffee and pastries 8.30-9am, prayer and worship in the chapel 9-9.30am).

WHERE: Royal Foundation of St Katharine, 2 Butcher Row, E14 8DS.

Please RSVP to naomi@thisisgrowth.org by Friday 4th September latest.

Hope to see you there!

• Staff changes

I will soon be leaving my role at GrowTH, after 5 happy years, to work for St Anne's Limehouse as a ministry trainee. Naomi Newman (one of GrowTH's Advocate Workers for the past 3 years) has already started as the Director of GrowTH, and we are really excited for this new chapter for the charity under her brilliant leadership.

My last day in the office will be this Friday 14th August, so please contact Naomi (in CC here) from now on.

Thank you once again for your incredible support for GrowTH's mission to the marginalised. God has done so many amazing things through this partnership over the past 10 years, and I trust that this will continue in this exciting new chapter ahead! It has been a tremendous pleasure to work alongside you.

God bless,

Matt

Matt Endersby

Operations Manager