Day Cente

WEBBER STREET CENTRE

PHOTO GALLERY

If you want to make a real difference in the life of someone less fortunate, then the Webber Street Centre in Waterloo is a great place to start.

Each Saturday morning across London, teams of volunteers wake up earlier than usual (for a Saturday!) to meet at Webber Street. Our volunteers are ordinary people in many ways, but are extraordinary in their commitment and dedication to obeying the word of the Lord as He taught us in Matthew 25: 35-40.

Each team meets one Saturday in four at 8.15 am, to prepare the centre and tea and coffee that is served to our guests from 9 am until noon. A couple of volunteers start at 7.45 am to cook a hot breakfast for approximately 100 guests. There are usually 10 volunteers working each week, of whom many are “old hands” that are able to take new recruits under their wing and show them the ropes - teamwork is the way ASLAN operates best!

Before each service session begins, we gather to pray that God will empower us, through His Spirit, to use the morning to be effective witnesses, showing our guests the unconditional love that we are so blessed to receive.

As you can imagine, there are many “regulars” among the guests, most of them only too pleased to stop and chat to the volunteers, to share a joke and a friendly smile. This is our primary aim in ASLAN - not just to serve food, but to show compassion to the vulnerable, to be witnesses of God’s great love to those whom society shuns.

We take turns to do the tasks needed – either out in the main seating area, serving the food and refreshments, or upstairs manning the showers. There is a wonderful camaraderie among the volunteers, and a good relationship between the volunteers and the staff who sometimes work on a Saturday. There is always the opportunity to clear away any rubbish and chat with those who are keen to engage. Some guests use their time at Webber Street to catch up on sleep, so we don’t wake them up to chat, knowing that sleep is precious to us all.

When the centre closes at 12 pm, we start to clean up. Volunteers are responsible for cleaning the kitchen, dining-room, serving counter as well as the showers and toilets used by the guests. All the cleaning equipment is provided and colour-coded, so there’s little chance of using the wrong stuff. Once again, teamwork is the key to getting everything done! It takes about 30 minutes to finish the cleaning up - sweeping and mopping the floors, wiping the tables and spraying them with anti-bacterial solution, washing and putting away the pots and pans.

At the close of each session, we meet again in the Volunteers' Room, and chat about how the morning went, the good and the bad parts, and provide feedback to the weekday staff. We also have updates on ASLAN activities, such as prayer meetings and training events. And then we troop out and enjoy a coffee and a snack together, a great way to unwind after a busy morning!

Hard at work in the kitchen

View of counter staff and clients from the eating area

Would you like a cup of fruit salad?

Counter staff, their sandwiches and clients seen from behind the counter

Could I have that one, please?

Another view from behind the counter

WANT TO READ MORE?

You can read Tim Cleverdon's article on Page 3 of ASLAN News 2002 (Good Morning Victoria) or Grace McDowell's article on Page 2 of ASLAN News 2003 (The Passage - The Big Picture)

click here for ASLAN News >>

HOW TO VOLUNTEER

Click below to fill in an online application form

click here >>

Or email our Project Support Manager

click here to email Claudia >>

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