Homelessness is a nationwide problem wider than the odd rough sleepers you see.  Even for the ones that have been put up in hostels/temporary accommodation, they could still be without families, jobs, and with mental health, drug/alcohol dependencies.

Please sponsor Pat to volunteer 2 days with Crisis Christmas in aid of the Connection at St-Martin-in-the-Fields, the homeless charity associated with St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London, where Pat is a member of its Chinese church.

This year, Pat will be running IT workshops at one of its residential centres CRISIS run over the christmas period on 23-December and 28-December, and would be the third year Pat volunteers with CRISIS Christmas.

Update of 23/Dec/09 21:30

Pat has just completed its first shift (10am-7pm) at CRISIS' quiet centre.

- Today has been quite quiet in terms of number of guests with only a small number of guests that remain from when the centre was used as a cold weather centre the prior night.

- Helped put up a number of signs to direct people to the different activities (IT, Art & Craft, Reading, Games, etc.) as well as help with doing a little bit of art work (an "Advent Calendar") of the themes for each day.

- Had a 1-1 session helping a guest with the Internet.

- The centre is freezing today. The electric circuirt in the building doesn't cope with the heater and technicians have been working to get a generator running for electric heater to be started!

- Next shift: 28/Dec/09

- No Photos allowed in the centre (to protect the guests), hence only a photo of my badges uploaded

Update of 28/Dec/09 21:20

Pat has just finished his second and final shift (10am-7pm, but ended up not leaving until 7:40pm!).  Some highlights

- Mega Busy.... The number of minutes when any 8 PC is left idle must have been <5mins, and get stuck in on arrival!

- "Interesting stuff"

--- Helped a guest open his email containing X Ray image of his teeth and then the dentist on site in the morning came in and have a look!

--- A guest used my hand momentarily to warm his hands (Well, his hands are certainly not too clean/healthy and are freezing also!)

--- Heating had been on (after generator was fixed), but today they were turned off- in fact the room is very very warm and stuffy (perhaps it's due to the number of people in the room!)

--- Stood along side a guest playing the keyboard- a guest taught himself who managed to play a bit of J S Bach and Amazing Grace without a score!!  It really amazes me!

--- Had a chat with a guest who used the PC who seem to have an interesting life!

- "Usual" stuff:

--- Managed a log of guests using the PCs, clocking them in/out and maintaining a waiting lists, kindly inviting people to leave as/when required

--- Helping people with PC queries.