I read somewhere that only wine improves with age and then only if the grapes were good in the first place. I wonder our founder Father John Nicholls knew he was planting a vintage year when he set up the Camberwell Samaritans in 1962?

It is fitting that we were set up to meet a visible local problem – the number of distressed, needy individuals falling through the gaps.  This ability to respond quickly to pressing needs remains with us today.  We are not an organisation who sit around and naval gaze - when we see a problem relevant to our work we will seize the opportunity to act as swiftly as we can.

Much has changed and I wonder what many of our original clients and volunteers would make of St Giles Trust today.  One of the fundamental changes has been putting our clients at the centre of our work to the point that they become the agent of change in others, as opposed to being passive recipients.  Training our clients to become skilled professionals who then support others is incredibly powerful, both for them as individuals and for those they help.  

Ultimately, I think many of our original day centre clients and volunteers would be unsurprised by what they see. They would continue to see a level of passion, commitment and dynamism that I’m sure was present in the cramped, damp crypt in the 60s. Sadly, they would also see similar social problems, poverty, exclusion and trauma amongst the current day clients we help.  

We have many people to whom we owe huge thanks for our existence over the past 50 years.  Many of our long-term funders and supporters – too many to mention individually here – have been vital to our ability to provide high quality support to our clients and adopt new and bold approaches to working with them.  A large number of loyal volunteers have supported St Giles Trust over the years and we owe a huge debt to them.  Previous staff members and board have had the wisdom to take sometimes difficult decisions to steer us on the right course, particularly through previous recessions and other rocky times.

Looking forward to the next few years – let alone the next 50 – and it becomes clear that the need for our services is as great as ever and growing.  Housing benefit changes have left many people - former, current and future clients - in housing uncertainty and they will be turning to us for help.  Last summer’s riots and the ways in which perpetrators were dealt with by the courts will have consequences for individuals and their families.  The job market continues to be incredibly tough, especially for those with limited skills and experience.   We will be here to help everyone we possibly can.

I am incredibly proud that the Duke of Cambridge has kindly agreed to be our 50th Anniversary Patron.  Our clients are some of the most disadvantaged, excluded members of society so his patronage will raise the profile of their needs and give them a much-needed boost through the knowledge that he is supportive of them.  

We will continue to fight hard on behalf of our clients and very much hope you will support us in this throughout our 50th year.  Stay in touch with developments via our website www.stgilestrust.org.uk.  Whether it is running a race in aid of St Giles Trust, hosting a pub quiz for us or giving a small regular donation, 95p in every pound goes towards our work with disadvantaged, needy people.  Thank you for your support to date and we look forward to celebrating our 50th Birthday with you!

Rob Owen, Chief Executive, St Giles Trust