London: Service commemorates record number of homeless deaths in past year + video

Choir With No Name at the service

A record number of homeless people died in London in the last twelve months. Their names were read out in a moving service held at St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square last Thursday.

In his introduction, Rev Richard Carter, Associate Vicar For Mission, said: "Each person is a name, each person is a character, each person is someone who has had their highs and their lows, and their struggles and their gifts to give society.. "In this service I'm really trying to show people and get people to realise we're not just talking about homeless people who have died. We're talking about people… and it's a tragedy that so many are still dying needing help."

He said: "A lot of the names of the people we read out are people who came to this country seeking belonging, safety, asylum in this country. There's a lot of foreign nationals in this list. I think one of the biggest injustices of our nation is that people who come from other parts of the world seeking safety here, seeking belonging, actually often find that the problems here are even greater than they've left behind," he said. "They've maybe left war or poverty or disaster in their own nations thinking that the United Kingdom is going to provide a place of safety, instead of which they find this hostile environment."

After each set of names were read out, Alistair Murray, John Deacon and Chris Bluemel played the Response: 'My Way Home'.

The first set of names was read out by Elodie Berland from Street Storage, She gave a tribute to Lawrence David Bradshaw, 'Dodger' - who had lived in a warm spot which he was always happy to share, for months, until the the office there put up spikes to keep rough sleepers away. "We miss you Dodger " she said.

Altogether the names of more than 140 people were read out. The congregation was told the life expectancy of a homeless person in London has declined by two years. It is now 45 for a man and 41 for a woman.

Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, from Farm Street Church, described the horrendous situation homeless people in central London found themselves in during the Covid lockdown. "This group had no family to lock down with, were without shelter as all the night shelters had closed, and without food as services had had to stop for safety's sake and there were no businesses or people to beg from. In addition no public toilets were open from King's Cross Station to the north to Victoria in the south."

Together with other churches and faith groups, volunteers from Farm Street provided food in several places around the capital throughout the pandemic.

"The streets are a place where death is never far away, where loss and abandonment is constantly in view, and yet those who live here in this community speak volumes about hope, hope and faith that God has a place prepared for all of us..."

But Fr Dominic said it was necessary to do more.. "as we lament and we pray and we remember, we have an imperative to hold government to account. As Church we have the duty to advocate for these individuals individually and as society."

After the reflection there was an Act of Remembrance. While the Gavin Bryers Ensemble lead the music, people processed to up to the front of the church collect a card each with the name of one of the deceased persons. Mine is Marek Imianowski.

The service concluded with prayers led by Rev Dr Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin in the Fields and music from Streetwise Opera and Choir With No Name - followed by refreshments in St Martin's Hall under the church. In his final blessing, Rev Richard Carter reminded those present that "when we welcome strangers, we welcome angels unawares."

LINKS

Watch a film of the service here: https://youtu.be/5789X70UExA

Read Fr Dominic's reflection: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/45908