About

King’s Road Community Drop-in is a church-run day centre for homeless and vulnerable people in Chelsea. Every week around 300 guests come to us for free meals, showers, laundry, clothing and toiletries, as well as compassion, community and hope. Covid-19 response

As a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, we had to close the Drop-in temporarily. However we’ve carried on working behind the scenes – sharing food supplies, handing out survival packs of toiletries, socks and underwear, and now providing takeaway meals from our side door. We’ve also continued to sort and manage mountains of post for when guests come to collect it.

Impact on vulnerable people

Hundreds of men and women – including our guests – have been surviving on London’s deserted streets throughout the pandemic. Many are shocked to become homeless for the first time after losing their jobs. And while usually there would be soup kitchens and other services open to help, these were unavailable, leaving rough sleepers with barely any source of food, water or toilets. Even restaurants, which sometimes provide leftover food and washrooms, have been closed.

We know that economic hardship will derail families and individuals (with and without homes) in the next months. There will be a big increase in need for our services and we urgently need funds to reach more people affected by this crisis.

How we will use the funds raised Right now we are preparing to: Reopen our showers and toilets for 15 guests per day, following a Covid-19-safe rota and procedures Expand and improve our free laundry service (thanks to grant funding from The Gwyneth Forrester Trust for a new washing machine and dryer) Provide more takeaway meals, to feed more of the growing numbers who need them Offer socially distanced sit-down lunches for guests with mobility issues Develop and launch new services to meet the emerging needs of our communities – including a food bank and support hub for families and the elderly. Why we need your help

Our charitable work is almost entirely funded by rental income from shop spaces we own. As a result of shop closures during the pandemic, we have incurred heavy financial losses and do not have the resources to provide what is needed. We are urging individuals and businesses to give generously to support this community.

You can help keep our services running and growing over the next months by making a donation and/or sharing this page. This will make an immediate impact on the lives of some of London's most vulnerable people. Thank you for your kind support!

Stay well and blessed,

Team CMC (Chelsea Methodist Church)

last updated on 29 June 2020

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