Ben Howlett, the Member of Parliament for Bath, has officially opened Freedom Bath and Bristol’s new converted horsebox, which will be home to four of the church’s established kindness projects.
In the past, the projects have given clothes, baby and children’s equipment to different people in need in Bath, supported agencies requests for help, and spent over 19,000 volunteer hours doing DIY for families in need of a helping hand.
After cutting the ribbon to open the converted horsebox, Ben said: “Freedom Bath and Bristol have given so much to the local community which has made a big difference to the lives of many residents. 19,000 volunteer hours is a staggering figure, and I know with their enthusiasm, this number is set to grow and grow.
“They now have over 20 people train in psychological first aid who will be able to respond to any critical incident with a cup of tea, toast and an empathetic listener.
“This is such an important idea and combining mental health support as well as practical help will help even more people.
The converted horsebox is to be known as The Cupboard, and will provide a mobile response unit which will include some of their projects.
Some of the things The Cupboard will be used for include delivering gifts and clothing, taking teams to complete practical projects and to deliver psychological first aid support in times of crisis, with fully trained teams with the ability to refer to other organisations.
After seeing The Cupboard for the first time, Ben said: ‘The horsebox has two lounges, a kitchenette, storage and flexibility to meet the needs of the community.
“It is going to provide an excellent base for Freedom Bath and Bristol’s essential work and I look forward to following its journey around the city.”
