Matthew 25 Mission and Christ Church: Serving the Community in Covid

The Matthew 25 Mission is a local charity that helps meet the physical, emotional, social, and pastoral needs of disadvantaged and marginalised people in Eastbourne. The name comes from the biblical passage that is the charity’s mission statement (S. Matthew 25. 34-40), and this undergirds its distinguishing Christian ethos. The charity has an inclusive culture and welcomes anyone regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

Having operated from Christ Church for 15 years, there has been a long-established meal service and other material support offered to those in need. Individuals in crisis are supported by keyworkers and volunteers to address a wide range of challenges and issues.

During the Covid19 pandemic, the Mission has needed to expand its provision in response to a sharp spike in need of support. We have gone from a drop-in centre to a takeaway service – with socially distanced key-working done in the gardens at Brodie hall. The number of meals served has gone from 400 to 1200 (representing over 300 different individual guests) per week; moreover, the Mission has moved from being open 5 to 7 days a week, serving both morning and afternoon meals. We have also employed an additional keyworker, and our team of four employees and forty volunteers have heroically worked flat-out.

We have been blessed to receive substantial donations of food, both from individuals and businesses (such as supermarkets and closed restaurants), and since March the entire north aisle and west end of the church has been used for its storage. The Mission has been donated industrial freezers and microwaves to help meet the huge surge in demand, the meals being prepared in the hall itself. It is both a huge achievement that we have been able to rise to the challenge and help meet this demand, whilst simultaneously tragic that such level of need now exists.