Suddenly the year is racing past. It is now a month since Harvest Festival. My local church was most beautifully decorated with flowers, fruit and vegetables. Way back it was expected that the best examples of such things would be taken to church for distribution to the “needy of the parish”.

I remember that it was at a Harvest Festival at Christ Church in Woking, not long after the war, that I saw a strange object and was told it was Indian corn. Later it became known as maize and is now more commonly known as corn on the cob. 

Things have changed: a prize marrow would go off before a lonely pensioner could eat the whole thing and so gifts became more practical, with tinned and dried foods being requested.

I was interested to discover at St Mary’s in Horsell a list of harvest gifts which would be most acceptable. This was because the gifts were to be donated to the York Road Project which has the strap line on its stationery: Defeating homelessness together. 

Thus it was suggested that Pot Noodles and instant pasta meals, spreads, cereal, canned ready meals, drinks and toiletries were on the list. And we were asked not to include anything homemade or perishable. During the service which included, of course, that rousing hymn We Plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, Kristina James-Talbot from the York Road Project gave an address.  

The York Road Project (YRP) is dedicated to assisting individuals facing homelessness or those at risk of becoming homeless in the Woking area.

There are so many reasons for homelessness – people are not homeless by choice – and YRP provides support and assistance 24/7, 365 days a year.

The support includes a secure and welcoming environment for people to find comfort.

Reassurance and tailored support that meets their specific needs.

Kristina quoted Nick, who had been helped by YRP and told how they had supported him with getting a bank account a new driver’s licence, helped him apply for benefits and join the housing register, and get accommodation.  

“But most of all,” said Nick, “the most important thing was having my key worker as she helped me through the door – meaning she gave me the confidence to get through every step of the process of going from long-term homelessness to getting secure accommodation, and eventually my own flat one day.”