Our Compassion Partners

We are proud to work with and support many different compassion organisations locally and further afield.

Street Pastors

The Street Pastor initiative in Whitstable and Herne Bay mobilises volunteers from local churches to be a caring presence on the night-time streets. They offer reassurance, safety and support through caring, listening and helping.

Each project is set up by Ascension Trust, which is the governing body behind Street Pastors, and run by a local coordinator, in partnership with the police, local council and other statutory agencies to make communities safer.

If you’d like to get involved, please contact your local Street Pastor coordinator:

whitstable@streetpastors.org.uk

hernebay@streetpastors.org.uk

Riverside provides volunteers and financial support for this local project.

Christians Against Poverty Debt Centre

The Whitstable Churches Debt Centre opened in April 2015 as a project of Churches Together in Whitstable. Being in debt exacts a heavy price on individuals and families, with implications for physical and mental health. The centre has had nearly a hundred referrals and has helped 41 people become debt free.

The centre is run in partnership with Christians Against Poverty (CAP), a national charity which enjoys an unrivalled reputation in the debt counselling and debt management sector. CAP walks with people through their journey out of debt, providing advice and assistance at many levels. All CAP services are free to clients and all payments of the debt are from the client’s own resources, be that income from benefits or employment. The organisation is Christ-centred and manages the financial side in parallel with a strong focus on offering compassionate care for the individuals concerned.

For more information contact info@capuk.org or visit www.capuk.org

Riverside provides financial support for the Whitstable Debt Centre.

Haven Project

The Haven Project is a small local charity offering simple help and kindness to people sleeping rough in Whitstable. They offer a warm dry place to connect and get support, with hot drinks, snacks, shower and laundry facilities.

If you’d like to volunteer or find out more, please contact jackie.haven@btinternet.com

Riverside provides volunteer, financial and organisational support for the Haven Project.

Coastal Family Hub

Coastal Family Hub provides mental health support to children, young people and families by partnering with local primary schools in Whitstable, Herne Bay and Reculver.

The Hub raises money, which the 13 local schools in the scheme match fund to pay for professional counselling for those children who most need it. The costs of the family support are met entirely by the charity.

Riverside provides financial support for the Coastal Family Hub.