The Sanctuary Launch
On 11 November, after nearly two years of extensive refurbishment we were delighted to relaunch the Marylebone Project’s day centre as The Sanctuary, a centre which serves the needs of homeless women in London, 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
The official opening was an opportunity to see the transformation of the service and to thank our partners: The Evening Standard and Barclays for their generosity. The Plaque was unveiled by Marylebone’s Patron, Ellie Goulding and Hannah Bernard (Head of Business Banking UK, Barclays).
Each month The Sanctuary receives around 600 visits with 20% of these being women who are accessing the services
for the first time.
We need more places like this where vulnerable women can come and feel safe and have a place to rebuild and re-skill and get themselves back together. Protecting and empowering women simply means a better world. I am so proud to be a patron and I am inspired by each and every woman I meet when I am there.
It’s been a humbling experience speaking to the women at The Sanctuary, hearing stories of the hardship they have faced and of the support they are receiving thanks to the Marylebone Project.
On behalf of all of us at Church Army, I wish you a very Happy Christmas and thank you so much for your prayerful and generous support at this time for The Sanctuary at the Marylebone Project and other vital Church Army projects across our country.
I’ll leave the last word to Fatima: “God certainly works in mysterious ways – I’m a Muslim and I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the Christian people who have looked past my race and religion and helped me so much.”
