Trinity Mission is a Christian charity in Castleford operating out of the Hope Centre at Trinity Methodist Church. The Mission supplies hot meals, food parcels, a clothing bank, and ongoing support and advocacy to adults living in Castleford who are marginalised and/or isolated and in need of support.
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The Mission began as a night shelter operated by and within Trinity Methodist Church over 11 years ago, and has grown and changed in that time in response to the needs of the local community. Each week the charity offers a games evening where people can seek support and advice; two lunchtime hot meals with access to the clothing bank and food parcels, and drop-in sessions from other local support agencies; and a daytime wellbeing session. These are run by a full-time employed Support Coordinator, part-time employed Services Manager and 18 volunteers who offer their time to serve the local community.
The Support Coordinator also spends time on a 1:1 basis building relationships with the local people accessing these services, offering ongoing support, advice and advocacy. This could include help with filling out paperwork, attending doctors appointments, and riding the bus together to reduce anxiety. The 2021 Census found that 56% of households in the Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford area suffered deprivation of education, employment, health and/or housing, and this figure is likely to have increased as a result of the Cost of Living Crisis. While support is available from different and often larger organisations in these different areas, accessing the help can be challenging as it often requires travel to Wakefield (which is about 10 miles away from Castleford), or further afield. For someone struggling with illiteracy, lack of funds, poor physical health, anxiety and/or severe mental health issues, accessing that support can be impossible. The services facilitated by Trinity Mission, together with the 1:1 support and advocacy, provide immediate aid, while building trust and nurturing confidence which then empowers people to take steps towards lasting change in their lives.
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“I see Trinity Mission as a way forward for people that can’t see a way forward. A place to have a conversation when normally there’s nobody to talk to; a place to just sit and relax in a world where they find it hard to relax. To help them in times of trouble, where everything else just seems to be against them. To have a friendly person helping them along the path, and helping them to regain control of their own lives again, is what the Mission offers. With so many suffering from poor mental health and so many people with addiction that they use just to escape the reality of the life, The mission is somewhere where they can refocus, where they can talk and get support in their health and wellbeing”, explains Mark Stainburn, Support Coordinator.
Trinity Mission’s popular lunchtime sessions usually provide meals and food parcels for around 90 adults, and the team would love to be able to support more people across the week. If you’d like to support the work of Trinity Mission in Castleford, please consider volunteering your time, or making donations of food and/or money to further support the work. Visit www.trinitymission.org.uk or contact Stephanie Salvador for more information: stephanie@trinitymission.org.uk .
By Emily Smith
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