Coffee4Craig, a Manchester charity that served 32,000 warm meals last year, is appealing for fundraising support as its running costs reach £30,000 a month. The charity, based in Cheetham Hill, offers free hot meals and essential services to people experiencing homelessness.
A charity born from personal loss
Coffee4Craig has been operating since 2013, when Risha Lancaster and her husband Hendrix founded it following the death of Risha's brother Craig. "The day I discovered Craig had died, I posted on Facebook 'If you see someone sleeping on the streets, buy them a coffee and say it was from Craig – and from then the charity took off," said Risha.
The charity provides free warm meals every evening from its Cheetham Hill site, including a home-cooked meal, pudding, tea and coffee over two hours, along with daytime 'relief and recovery' programmes. Between June and October this year, they served almost 5,000 meals.
Dignity and trust for service users
"It gives people a bit of dignity and no judgement, they get to know people and get to trust people," Risha said. "We are really big on taking people as they come and letting them tell us what they need. We have had people turning up in suits, and the first thing you think is, you're not homeless, what are you doing here? They might have a full-time job and be sleeping in their car, hiding it from everyone."
Risha said demand for their services fluctuates but 'will always be there', and the cost of living crisis has had a real impact on the charity. The charity is partially funded by the council, but not enough to run it, with rent, insurance and staff costs totalling between £28-30,000 a month.
CEO Sleepout event
"Utilities and food are going up, and people aren't able to donate as much, more people are struggling, so things like CEO Sleepout really give us a boost and are so important for us," Risha said.
The Manchester CEO Sleepout will see dozens of business leaders and supporters bed down for the night at Emirates Old Trafford CC on November 2. Funds raised are distributed to local causes tackling poverty and homelessness across Greater Manchester, with last year's event raising £53,000.
"There are more homeless people in Britain than ever before, so the need for charities has sadly never been greater," said Bianca Robinson, CEO of CEO Sleepout. "But they aren't immune from the same financial pressures that force so many people onto the streets. Money is tight, and that's why we need Manchester's business community to step up. It is one night in the cold, but it can genuinely change local lives. These charities do it every single day, but they desperately need the support and money to keep doing it."
Impact of funding
£15,000 from last year's event went to Coffee4Craig, used to help service users access phones and IDs, two essentials homeless people often struggle to obtain. But this year, the charity has yet to receive a team sponsor for the event.
"We've supported one man since day one. He's now in a care home, but his partner who also had to sleep on the streets sadly died, so our team are working on taking him to see her grave," added Risha. "The support we offer ranges from a place to shower, to being one of our guest's next of kin. Everyone who walks through our door is supported in a way that's best for them, and for many of them, this is a place of home."
"It's the loss of hope that is the hardest for people when they first go onto the street," Risha continued. "It's the thought of not knowing where they are going to go next, not just the next day but even the next hour. There is no time, a constant worry of where they are going to go next. When people can come here, it's like an anchor and like coming home."
