Aid for those in crisis this Christmas

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Dec 18, 2008

Byline: By VAL JAVIN Feature Writer

VOLUNTEERS from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association and The Welcome Centre will again join forces to feed homeless people in Huddersfield on Christmas Day.

For a second year, the two organizations will work together serving hot drinks, soup and supplying biscuits and mince pies to homeless people from a marquee in McCauley Street.

The team will be outside the bus station between noon and 4pm on Christmas Day. As well as food, they will be offering blankets, sleeping bags, hats, gloves and warm jumpers.

The event ran for the first time last year and Steve Ward of The Welcome Centre, based at the Methodist Mission in Lord Street, said: "Last year was our first involved in this event and our Christmas Day was our best for years simply because we helped people in crisis.

"Christians and Muslims working together to help people less fortunate than ourselves in our community was a wonderful experience.

"We helped about 30 people last year and hope to help even more this year."

You can contribute by donating mince pies or biscuits to the appeal. Either take your donations to the Huddersfield Methodist Mission on Lord Street or contact Steve Ward on 07847 305955 And the town's homeless people will be offered a helping hand too on New Year's Eve Day thanks to a joint venture between the Mission Cafe and the Welcome Centre.

On that day, hot food and drinks will be available in the Mission Cafe between 12 and 2pm.

If you'd like to help with that, please speak to Jacqui Goff on 01484 421461.

If you know anyone who is in crisis or who is homeless, then tell them about the two events. It might just help them through the most difficult time of the year.

CAPTION(S):

WELCOME BREAK: Karen Selly, Welcome Project co-ordinator (second left), with some of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association volunteers