User:Hairy Chef/sandbox

House of Bread

House of Bread, aka HoB, is a Charitable organisation based in Stafford, UK. It was originally started in October 2010 after Matthew Turner a local man saw a homeless man and asked himself what he could do to help. Providing food for that single interaction did not sit well with him and after some deliberation decided to try to help provide some food for the homeless of Stafford on a more permenant basis. Matt, being a man of faith and subsequently becoming a Baptist Minister, choose to demostrate his Christian values in the Charity. The name is from the Hebrew Bethlehem which means House of Bread. The main focus in the early years was to provide just one hot meal a week in a safe and friendly environment to anyone who needed it. Very quickly this went from a hot meal to a few items to supplement a weekly shop for those in need. The ethos of "Evereybody is welcome" is wholeheartedly supported by the volunteers and currently 3 part-time staff.

Increased Demands

Over the last decade successive Governments have cut back on funding for Social care leaving voluntary organisations to try to fill the gap. The supply of supplemental food has turned into a full time food bank run from a small wharehouse, the request of a few items of clothes has become a clothes bank and the one hot meal a week has turned into 36 hours of a pay what you feel cafe. Almost all funding is through the local community with 2 local business owners providing the wharehouse and cafe locations for pepper corn rent or at cost value. The charity has definately changed from helping the homeless to helping anyone in need.

Awards
In late 2017 the managing director Mr William Morris was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service on behalf of the House of Bread. This award is the Voluntary Sector's equivalent the an MBE.