Help Support Our Homeless Sleepout

1st March 2019

The Beresfords Sleepless Night Appeal is fast approaching, and we need your support. On Saturday, 2nd March, from 8 pm onwards, people from Beresfords, our friends, and business associates will be braving the cold by sleeping rough in order to raise funds for the homeless charity CHESS.

The event is being generously supported by East of England and Chelmsford Star Co-ops, which will provide food for participants as well as the homeless. Laser Electrical have kindly donated 15 sleeping bags, which will be donated to the charity afterwards, and My Coffee Station will be keeping spirits up by serving hot drinks throughout the night.

CHESS (Churches Homeless Emergency Support Scheme) seeks to relieve homelessness and related hardship and distress amongst single adults in Chelmsford and Essex through the provision of support services and temporary accommodation that helps them move on in their lives.

Take a look at some of the testimonials below from individuals who have had their lives changed by CHESS, and click on the link below to donate and to help support CHESS continue with their life-changing work.

"I became homeless due to a controlling relationship breaking down. I shared a house with my ex-partner as a joint Tennent and there was friction between our children and a lot of jealousy. My Ex partner was unfaithful to me. Even though it was not my fault my ex-partner took me to court and I was removed from the tenancy due to her having children living there. I sofa surfed for a while and was supported by friends and family with beds for the night here and there but had nowhere of my own or for my belongings. I approached CHESS who offered me a bed. I have tried to work in the past but have never been able to sustain work and I knew something was not right I just didn't know what. I had a lot of unresolved medical issues and my support worker went with me to the GP several times. I eventually got a diagnosis of learning difficulties and a hearing test showed that I was partially deaf. We approached the council, and they accepted a duty to me on medical grounds, allowing me to bid as a band 2. I have been with CHESS since April 2017 and am due to move into my own flat. I did not want to come to CHESS and resisted for a while as I felt a bit intimidated by the other residents. I had heard some bad feedback, but I now know that this is due to the individual's inability to engage. If you do what you need to do the staff work hard to help you and give you advice to move on.:

"When I left the Army, I was a shadow of my former self, and I developed what I now recognise as post-traumatic stress disorder. To avoid dealing with my emotions, I kept busy and was constantly out partying. Mixing with a bad crowd sparked my addiction to drugs and alcohol. I was told to leave my family home, and to fuel my addictions, I began to steal. I eventually resigned myself to the fact that I was going to die. I knew that if I had to stay on the street any longer, I would either be killed or kill myself just to put an end. Having the support of CHESS not only gave me somewhere to stay straight out of prison but also gave me a job, which changed everything."