I started the day early having soup for breakfast at Harvey Nicholls and in case you are jealous it was for a good cause...

The breakfast was to find people who would companies, organisations and individuals who would champion a very special organiastion called 'Simon on the Streets'. 'Simon on the Streets' appears to reach those vulnerable people that other organisations don't seem to be able to reach. They are a group of volunteers and outreach support workers who provide emotional and practical support to people with complex needs who cannot or will not access other services. Within that group 'Simon on the Streets' focus on people who are homeless and rootless, especially those with issues related to rough sleeping. They also work with other agencies to ensure that their service users are never left unsupported and aim to provide continuous support to prevent relapse into problematic behaviour and to enable individuals to move to a stage where they no longer need support. They provide volunteers with the opportunity to develop new skills, and to be part of an organisation where the values of understanding, respect, commitment and trust are paramount. They also seek to enable people to respond to their service users in a compassionate, caring and empathetic way, to raise awareness of their plight and to articulate the voice of the marginalised.

Having listened to some of the volunteers and outreach workers telling their stories over breakfast 'Simon on the Streets' is making a real difference to some of the most vulnerable people here in Leeds. If you want to find out more about 'Simon on the Streets' and how you can help, you can visit their website at http://simonfoundation.wordpress.com/about/.
Chris