Diocese of Chichester

A church in Bognor will be offering Open Stable, shelter and food to people who find themselves alone over the festive period including Christmas day.

Fr John Challis, vicar at St Mary’s said: “Open Stable is about creating a community space for people who maybe on their own, lonely, living in over crowded conditions. It is about engaging with single parents giving them space but more importantly people to be with. It is about saying to families here is a hall with a cafe where you can come and play, eat and find space and people to be with.

“I’ve had a number of conversations with people like a man whose spending Christmas with his mum. They are really unsure about spending the time just the two of them and are excited about being able to be in our hall, in easy chairs, being able to chat and play games with others. It is about sharing Christmas. There are young people, young adults who find Christmas really hard and depressing telling us that they want to come down, perhaps on their own but probably in pairs, to play giant Jenga and connect four, but to again and wait for it to be with people.

“In essence Christmas is about giving time and space and being with each other over some of the most difficult days of the year. It is about us saying yes we know Christmas Day night is tough but we will be here for you. Pop down at 1am we will have the kettle on, we can eat a mince pie together and we will listen to you.

“One lady just called asking about how we can look after her dad. Can we collect him and share time with him because she has to work over Christmas...that is what this is about.”

Ruth McBrien is a church volunteer and came up with the idea after reading an article about how, for many, Christmas is the most miserable time of year.

She said: “It is a time that magnifies both what is good and bad in lives, and the chance to celebrate the community, to provide a place to give has found enormous resonance. So, as we have a very adequate church hall sitting in the middle of the community the idea was born, an Open Stable. Creating a homely, living space with easy chairs, movies, board games, play area and continuous food 24 hours a day. Everything relies on donations and volunteers and, so far, we have had around £1,500 cash donations, £300 in food donations from local businesses, Christmas trees, chairs, tables, settees, TVs, movies, board games and a carpet to protect the hall floor. With 70 volunteers signed up, and pledges of food being brought to the event. We’ll see how it progresses”.

St Mary’s Centre, at the parish church of St Mary the Virgin is well equipped with two halls and a fully functional kitchen. The main hall can accommodate more than 100 people. It will be open 24 hours a day 23, 24 and 25^th December.

Thank you to St Mary in Bognor and all our other churches that are offering meals and comfort to those in need this Christmas.

All proceeds from donations will go to the charity Stonepilow who look after the homeless in our community.