Manna Society Press Release

Bread from heaven ... Manna Society Feeding and sheltering the homeless for fifteen years

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 18 September 1998

"Britain's poor are worse off than ever," said the Bishop of Kingston upon Thames recently, quoting a recent United Nations report. The Rt Rev Peter Price was speaking as Chair of the Manna Society, which is celebrating 15 years of providing food, health care and advice for homeless people, in Melior Street near London Bridge Station.

Speaking at their Annual General Meeting on Thursday 17 September, the bishop said that deprivation and chronic unemployment as well as low levels of literacy have turned Britain into one of the most poverty stricken countries in the developed world. "Many of the clients of the Manna Centre experience the four marks of poverty, low life expectancy, deprivation of income, and low levels of education." He regretted that the Manna entered into its fifteenth year with the problems of urban poverty still on the increase. "Few who work here believe that their vocation is to continue placing elastoplast on society's ills. They and the visitors to the centre are the victims of an economic system that can allow the obscene wealth of a few and the endemic poverty of the many."

Founded in 1983 by Nanette Ffrench, a former Franciscan nun, the centre has been a beacon of hope for many hundreds of London's most vulnerable people. In conjunction with the British Refugee Council, the Manna has provided hostel care for refugees from many parts of the world.

The Manna was recently featured on BBC's "Songs of Praise", and its founder Nanette Ffrench reflected that her life working among the poor has always been a blessing - "They give me so much," she said, "and we give them so little." In the coming years the Manna Society hopes to become a more effective advocate for the poor in London; as well as exploring ways of developing its involvement with the concerns of those legitimately seeking asylum in Britain.

On Saturday 10 October, the Manna Society will hold a thanksgiving and dedication service in St. John's Church Waterloo, at which the priest and activist Ken Leech will speak.

Ends.