The Official Move is nearly upon us!

To all our friends and supporters:

Well, the Moving Home appeal is still ongoing (we're not quite there yet), but as we've already mentioned, we've raised nearly all of what we need, and the time has come for the official move.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers this coming Friday (10th February), when we have our official 'rehearsal' in the new venue. And then official opening on Tuesday the following week (14th February).

In the meantime, why not have a look at this recent article in the Oxford Mail about the move (including a quote from the author!).

Thanks to all.

Something of interest?

Just a quick note to all our followers, and one for your diary: there is a Homelessness Evensong at St Giles church in Oxford on 29^th January at 6:30 pm. Refreshments will be provided. Do go along if you're free. Thanks. 

Join us for a pub quiz in Eynsham

Do you fancy a quiz night in support of the Gatehouse Moving Home appeal? 

WHERE?
The Talbot Inn, Eynsham.The Talbot is situated on Oxford Road, Eynsham, just past the Swinford toll bridge as you enter the village on the road from Oxford.

WHEN?
Thursday, 19th January.
Arrive at 19.45 for a 20.00 start.

HOW?
Put together a team of 4.
There will be a cost of £10 per table - all proceeds to the Moving Home appeal of course.

We look forward to seeing you there.

The Oxford Bach Ensemble

And to get the New Year off with a bang, here's another event you may be interested in:

The Oxford Bach Ensemble will be holding their annual community concert on 7th January.

Many local musicians (both gifted amateurs and top professionals) join together to perform works, mainly by J S Bach, some familiar but some not so well-known.

This year the proceeds from the concert will be shared between the Gatehouse Moving Home appeal and the Alzheimer's Carers at Noddfa.

Do come along for an evening of high quality music.

Saturday 7th January 2012
7.30pm
St Margaret's Church, Oxford

Thanks to the team for their help!

A great Christmas for the Gatehouse

Happy new year to you all. 

Well, we hope you had a good break. For the Gatehouse Moving Home appeal, fundraising carried on as usual. In fact, our supporters were busier than ever. So, here is a short summary of what happened: 

• Lucy and friends at Nuffield College collected £223 
• The Pindrop Concert raised over £1,500 
• Keble College Concert raised £737 
• Creation Theatre raised £323 from a bucket collection 
• The Jewish Society (JSOC) donated £250 
• St Peter's College carol service raised £822
• Ambassador Theatre Group collected £509 from a bucket collection
• North Aston Carol Singers raised £175 
• New College School raised £850 from their carol concert 
• The Salvation Army donated over £500

A very big thank you to everyone who donated and worked so hard to raise this money over the Christmas period. Thank you to all the volunteers who sang carols, held buckets, organised events and helped in any other way.

The Gatehouse had a great Christmas thanks to all our supporters.

 

Homelessness around the World

Here is a rather moving photographic survey of homelessness around the world: we thought you'd like to take a look.

On behalf of eveyone at the Gatehouse and the Moving Home appeal, thank you for your tremendous support htis year, and we look forward to continuing in 2012, right up to the move itself. 

With best wishes from all of us for Christmas.

Report on our Christmas Party

An update on the Pindrop Christmas Party (with Stornoway and the Epstein)

 

On Saturday night we had an absolutely wonderful event with a lovely atmosphere and loads of credit given to the Gatehouse - including a round of applause for our work! We were much helped by some warm words from Andy (one of our ex-homeless guests at the Gatehouse) who was kind enough to say "we are the friendliest people in the world". 

 

Thanks to the team - including Jackie & Peter, Malcolm, Andrew, Bruce and Andy. We had two return trips to Tesco to get extra wine for mulling!

 

The bands are hoping that it may be possible to download a recording of the music (for a small donation to the Gatehouse Moving Home appeal of course!). Let us know if you're interested via the comments.