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