The Booth Centre is a community based enterprise built in partnership with people whose lives are impacted by homelessness and poverty across Greater Manchester. The charity, founded in 1995, is named in honour of Humphrey Booth, a seventeenth century church warden of St Mary’s Church, as Manchester Cathedral was then known. Originally based in Manchester Cathedral, the Booth Centre moved to Edward Holt House in Cheetham Hill in 2014.
Sleep Out to Help Out
Since 2011 the Sleepout at Manchester Cathedral has been an annual opportunity for people to raise awareness of homelessness whilst helping to raise vital funds for the Booth Centre. Over the years thousands of people have taken part, giving up a night’s comfort in solidarity with people facing some of the toughest circumstances imaginable.
The event began at 7pm with an address from Hannah Spencer MP for Gorton and Denton and some words from Robyn Lawler, Chair of the Board of Trustees about the work of the Booth Centre. A little live music was provided by Niah And Raj, after which participants were invited to take part in one of two activities. The first was a discussion on how aspects of philosophy relate to homelessness and immigration. The second was a workshop on creating electronic music.
A hot supper of chicken and rice (vegetarian option available) was provided by the Deluxe Elegant Ladies, after which there was the opportunity to sit quietly and reflect or to further explore Manchester Cathedral. Around 10.30pm we were invited to make our way into the Cathedral Yard to find a suitable place to bed down for the night. My partner Faith took the option to remain inside the lofty chasm of the Cathedral, but I felt this was cheating.
I had come prepared to sleep under the stars with an old yoga mat and even older Vango sleeping bag which I put inside a breathable bivy sack I got from Alp Kit a few years ago. Thankfully, the September night was relatively mild. My base layer of merino wool provided ample insulation. Lying in my makeshift bed on a patch of grass at the foot of the Cathedral clock tower I was comfortably warm. I wondered how many others sleeping outdoors in the city that night could say the same.
The wail of distant sirens and the inevitable raucous Saturday night voices rolling down Deansgate kept me awake into the early hours of the morning. I eventually nodded off some time after 1am.
It was still dark when I awoke. I checked my phone to find it was just after 5.30am. There seemed little point in trying to get any more sleep so I packed away my bedding and headed into the Cathedral in search of coffee. No such luck. On this occasion we would have to fend for ourselves. As the sky above the office blocks slowly began to lighten, we walked along Market Street to Piccadilly where the best of the options on offer seemed to be a McDonalds sausage muffin meal. In the company of bleary eyed revellers consuming carbs to soak up the alcohol of the night before, we raised our coffee cups to the Last Sleepout at Manchester Cathedral.
The Booth Centre Community
The Booth Centre offers a variety of services to the local community, including a community hub, the three bees cafe, a programme of activities and opportunities for volunteering.
Community Hub
Open from 8:30am on weekdays, the Community Hub offers:
- Help with issues between tenants and their accommodation provider or landlord
- Support, advice and advocacy for people without a home
- Quality signposting and direct links into other specialist support agencies including health and wellbeing
- Direct access to a range of specialist visiting agencies
- Support, advice and advocacy to manage or maximise finances
Three Bees Cafe
Three Bees Cafe offers people in the community free, healthy meals in a welcoming environment.
Activities
The centre offers a broad programme of free activities based around art, music, fitness and wellbeing. These activities create opportunities for self-expression, relaxation, learning new skills, and forming positive relationships, all of which support people on their journey towards stability and improved wellbeing.
Employment and Skills
The Employment and Skills service at the Booth Centre is designed to help people who are ready to move back into employment but need help to achieve their goals. People can get assistance with completing job applications, writing a CV, preparing for interview and preparing to start a new job. There are direct links to special employment programmes.
Volunteering
At the Booth Centre there is a strong belief that everyone in the community should feel they’re able to give back to the community, whatever their skills and abilities, and so the volunteering programme includes everyone.
To find out more about the amazing work of the Booth Centre, visit the website, here: https://www.boothcentre.org.uk
