A Night at the Winter Shelter

Daniel and I spent last night supporting the Winter Night Shelter at St Mary’s Church Hall in Finchley.

This is a fantastic initiative run by Homeless Action in Barnet (HAB), bringing together churches, synagogues, mosques and volunteers to provide people experiencing homelessness with a safe, warm place to sleep, an evening meal and breakfast throughout the winter.

We arrived between 9pm and 10pm, taking over from the wonderful St Mary’s volunteers who had provided the evening meal.

Our job was relatively straightforward: staying overnight to ensure someone was on site for safety and insurance purposes. Despite the cold night, we had good bedding and I managed a decent night’s sleep!

A real pleasure to support such a worthwhile cause. We’re hoping to return next month, with other GoodGym members also contributing throughout the winter.

Sometimes doing good simply means being there.

Warmth on a Cold Night at St Mary’s

Daniel and I spent the night supporting the Winter Night Shelter at St Mary’s Church Hall in Finchley and it was a quietly humbling experience.

Run almost entirely by local volunteers, the shelter provided warmth, food and calm on a night when temperatures dropped to –2°C. By the time we arrived, guests had eaten well and were settling down to sleep across the main and smaller halls. Our role overnight was simple but important: to be present, supportive, and help ensure everything ran smoothly.

In the morning, a fresh group of volunteers arrived to prepare breakfast before guests packed up and moved on to the next venue. Seeing the interfaith community working together so seamlessly really brought home how vital and effective this network is.

Without shelters like this, nights like that could be unimaginably hard for those sleeping rough. It was a privilege to play a small part in such an important local effort.

If this inspires you, please share and don’t forget our January Challenge: walk, run or cycle, log it on Strava, and help us do good while keeping fit

GoodGym Barnet Report: Helping at the Night Shelter in Mill Hill

Last night, Penny and Franky joined forces with other volunteers at the Barnet Night Shelter in Mill Hill, rolling up their sleeves to prepare food and support those in need.

With 8 volunteers and 12 guests, the evening was a fantastic opportunity to connect, give back, and make a tangible difference in the community. Penny summed it up perfectly:

“We prepared the hall, served the food, cleaned up, and washed the dishes. It was great fun and lovely to connect with others!”

The shelter provides warm meals, a safe space, and a friendly atmosphere for those facing homelessness, and there will be more opportunities to get involved!

If you’d like to be part of this rewarding experience, keep an eye on upcoming sessions—we’d love to see more GoodGymers getting involved!