New Year: Homeless Feast

From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation (FBMF) are sending out an early call for the local community to gather to help those in need.

The Foundation in partnership with Pride of Asia and Peace Alliance will host a 'Homeless Feast ' in January 2011 and say they would like to enlist volunteers who will help on the programme.

Decima Francis MBE, Founder and CEO of Southwark based FBMF said: “This is a time after the giving at Christmas when the homeless face the bleakest period. Gifts of unwanted Christmas presents such as socks, underwear, jumpers, sleeping bags, toiletries would be appreciated as well as a warm smile and welcome.

“Helping is open to all. We are looking forward to re-launching our work in the heart of the community in the New Year and hope you will join us as volunteers and supporters”.

Speaking about how the spending cuts will affect FBMF Decima Francis said: FBMF is committed to providing a meaningful service to communities during the present recession and the cuts. We think ourselves unlucky for not being positioned to secure million pound grants.

“But with few assets and no reserves, living-hand-to-mouth, we were taught to be resilient and to find ways of sustaining ourselves.  It’s kept us small but nimble and forced us to create products that will keep us through the coming difficult times”. 

FBMF run a number of programmes including a College and Ofsted Accredited Independent School that is home to the Day Support Programme.  The Midnight Bus a Mobile Activities Outreach unit and the Calling the Shots Curriculum (CTS), a violence prevention package for schools, colleges, Pupil Referral Units, Youth Offending Institutions and Prisons. 

Francis, proud of the FBMF achievements concluded: “CTS has been evaluated, tested and tried by all overseeing educational institutions and has been found fit for purpose. The new 2010 edition funded by the Mayor of London and the Metropolitan Police Service has been updated to include knife and all weapon enabled crime.  It covers all the main outcomes like SEAL, Every Child Matters, PHSE, Religious Studies and much more.  It is a national schools curriculum in waiting”.

The FBMF is takes referrals for young people aged 11-19 for our programmes.  

To volunteer with FBMF in the New Year visit the website.  Or Tel: (0) 20 7 703 6415 / (0)207 922 7818. Email: info@fbmf.org.uk