St James, Spanish Place offers homeless guests a warm welcome

Team at Companions Cafe

Source: Archbishops House

At St James Catholic Church in Marylebone, central London, parishioners are engaged in a number of programmes dedicated to providing relief and support to homeless and marginalised persons throughout the year.

Kate MacKenzie, London Coordinator for the Companions of the Order of Malta said: "The Companions of the Order of Malta is the auxiliary volunteer force for delivering the charitable work of the Order of Malta in Great Britain."

The Order set up, organise and run the Companions Café, Spanish Place in Marylebone on Monday and Thursday evenings and offer food, care and conversation to local homeless guests.

There are approximately 45 homeless guests on a Monday and between 80-90 homeless guests on a Thursday evening. Take-away food and drink is also offered to extra guests who arrive late or where the numbers have overrun seating accommodation.

"The Companions run all our own projects," Kate says. "And we are supported by other charities for the food we serve. For example, the Felix Project donates supper twice a month on Thursdays.

"Other companies help with food, too, such as Hoares Bank who donate one meal a month on Mondays."

The meal menu varies but may consist of a starter such as French bread and pate, or ham and melon or crackers with cream cheese. The main course might be shepherd's pie and peas or chicken curry with rice and vegetables. There are vegetarian options too. Various desserts are offered like puddings, fruit crumble, custard, ice cream, cheesecake and berries.

"The Companions of the Order of Malta launched this project in 2013," Kate explains. "All the Companions projects are run by teams of volunteers, about 25 volunteers on any given Monday and about 35 volunteers on Thursdays."

But they are not the only ministry serving those less fortunate.

According to St Vincent de Paul Society, St James's Spanish Place President and Coordinator Sharon Joseph, the St Vincent de Paul Society at St James's has organised a soup run for over 30 years.

"We offer our food both in Marylebone and Lincoln's Inn Square twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. We serve over 160 individuals per week, serving soups, sandwiches, salads and small meals along with tea, coffee and lemonade."

Additionally, clothing, toiletries and trainers are available.

"Our Soup Run"relies on donations," Joseph said. "We continue our work feeding the homeless and those living with food, clothing and housing insecurity."

Mgr Philip Whitmore is the rector of St.James's Spanish Place. He applauds the work of these outreach ministries. "It is excellent that the parish SVP and the Companions of the Order of Malta make such good use of our premises in order to prepare and serve food for the homeless and the needy," he says.

"There are many dimensions to the Christian life, but this is a most important one which should not be overlooked."

For more information on outreach programmes at St James's Spanish Place, go to: www.sjrcc.org.uk/calendar