Stockport Express Update 30-11-16

Jonathan Billings Project Manager The Wellspring

The Wellspring has been chosen to be on of 3 local charities that are being supported by a new endeavour run by the newly rebranded Cooperative stores in Stockport. When shoppers purchase any Cooperative branded items in the stores a percentage of the sale is donated to local charities. It was a pleasure to be invited to officially open the new Cooperative store on Hall Street in Offerton this week. So far the store on Hall Street has raised nearly £3000 for The Wellspring.

The official opening of Hall Street Coop

Collections for the Rucksack project are going well and have been given a great boost by the Yeshurun Hebrew Congregation in Gatley who did an amazing collection for The Wellspring of warm clothing, food, rucksacks and sleeping bags for the Rucksack project. These donations will be used over the next 12 months by anyone who finds themselves sleeping rough on our streets. We are also delighted with support from all the company’s involved in the Redrocks development in Stockport, this will be a fantastic addition to our town centre when it’s finished next year.

We are concerned by the noticeable rise in the number of people begging in our town centre and around the grand central / train station area. Giving money to people on the street may seem like a selfless act of kindness to someone less fortunate than yourself, however the vast majority of money given to people begging in the street is spent on drugs and alcohol. Giving people money does nothing to help their situation at all. It does however make the job of homelessness professionals, outreach workers, housing officers and others trying to support people so much harder. When someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol it is much harder to do any kind of positive work with them. For the people who are begging who are actually street homeless and many of the people begging in Stockport are not, giving them money does nothing to support them, it just fans the flames of addiction and ultimately makes their situation worse. It keeps them trapped in a cycle of addiction. Please do not give money to people in the street. Instead of giving money please tell them about The Wellspring, ask them to come along and get the support they need to get off the streets or to access support for any issues that they have.  The Wellspring is on Harvey street, Stockport town centre, open 365 days a year. The Wellspring can be contacted on 0161-4776344 or via thewellspring@btconnect.com