COVID-19 IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING NEW REFERRALS
People at high risk (clinically extremely vulnerable)
People at high risk from coronavirus include people who:
- have had an organ transplant
- are having chemotherapy or antibody treatment for cancer, including immunotherapy
- are having an intense course of radiotherapy (radical radiotherapy) for lung cancer
- are having targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system (such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors)
- have blood or bone marrow cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma)
- have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant in the past 6 months, or are still taking immunosuppressant medicine
- have been told by a doctor they you have a severe lung condition (such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or severe COPD)
- have a condition that means they have a very high risk of getting infections (such as SCID or sickle cell)
- are taking medicine that makes them much more likely to get infections (such as high doses of steroids)
- were born with a serious heart condition and are pregnant
People at moderate risk (clinically vulnerable)
People at moderate risk from coronavirus include people who:
- are 70 or older
- are pregnant
- have a lung condition that’s not severe (such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis)
- have heart disease (such as heart failure)
- have diabetes
- have chronic kidney disease
- have liver disease (such as hepatitis)
- have a condition affecting the brain or nerves (such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy)
- have a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infections
- are taking medicine that can affect the immune system (such as low doses of steroids)
- are very obese (a BMI of 40 or above)
Our Referral Process
The Catholic Worker Farm provides food and accommodation to women and children without recourse to public funds.
We accept referrals from all agencies and organisations. To refer someone to us call us on our land line: 01923 777201 or on Scott’s mobile: 07983 477819.
We will then get back to you if we agree to accommodate your client.
Requests are attended to on a first come first served basis. We may however give priority to forced migrants and people in particularly difficult situations.
We are unable to accept self-referrals. If you are homeless yourself and would like to come here, we recommend that you go to the Red Cross our to your key-worker and ask them to contact us.
After discussion with us there are two parts to our Referral Process. The first is that the sending organisation fill in the Referral Form below. The second is that our House Rules are read and understood by the client. We ask that your client signs the House Rules Form and it is also emailed together with the Referral Form to us at the thecatholicworkerfarm@yahoo.co.uk.
Referral Form
IMPORTANT NOTICE PLEASE READ
We ask that you fill in every space within the Referral Form. We are particularly concerned about your client’s mental health as this has proven to be difficult for us to manage, especially in cases where the client has a psychosis i.e. schizophrenia, paranoia, suicidal ideations etc. Where this is the case and your client has been sent to us without the knowledge of either ourselves or the sending organisation, the sending organisation will be asked to facilitate rehousing for your client. This must be agreed by the sending organisation prior to sending us your client. Sending us this Referral Form implies the sending organisation’s consent to the above.
House Rules Form
IMPORTANT NOTICE PLEASE READ
The Catholic Worker Farm looks after 20 women and children. We have implemented House Rules in order to achieve a peaceful, cooperative and clean environment. We ask that the House Rules are read to your client and agreed to. If they do not cooperate with the House Rules they may be asked to leave. Please download the House Rules Form and ask your client to sign below stating that they understand and agree to the conditions of living at The Catholic Worker Farm.
- Together we are responsible in keeping our houses clean. If you live in The Farm House you will work one day a week. You start at working 9.30am and work until dinner at 6pm. On this day you will have a 1 hour Lunch Break. The work will usually include cleaning carefully all the common areas downstairs. When the house is clean you will also help with other things, in the garden or the house. You will also be responsible for cooking dinner for everyone who is home. Usually between 5 and 10 people. The dinner should be ready at 6pm.
- If you live in Mary House you will have to clean and make dinner for everyone who is home twice a week. You start at working 9.30am and work until dinner at 5pm. On this day you will have a 1 hour Lunch Break. The work will usually include cleaning carefully all the common areas. We are aware that you may have children and of course you have a responsibility towards them as well.
- If you live at the Farm House Wednesdays are Community Day so you must be at the house from 9.30am to 6pm.
- If you live at Mary House on Wednesday you will have a 1 hour House Meeting at 8.30am.
- To make it possible for us to help you move forward you need to share with us information about your legal status and your case. Therefore we will require the contact details of any other keyworkers and your solicitor.
- You need to live peacefully with the other people here. If you are violent or if you threaten any of the other people living in the house it is possible that we will ask you to leave without warning.We also have some kitchen rules and we can make other rules when it is necessary. If you break any of the rules you may get a formal warning. If you receive more warnings you will be banned for one or two weeks. After 4 warnings you will be asked to leave.
What we offer
The Catholic worker Farm is a multicultural Community for any homeless woman and child who cannot work or receive benefits. We have two houses, the Farm House and Mary House. In both houses together there is room for 17 women and children in this situation. In both houses there are live-in volunteers. The accommodation is temporary, sometimes with a time limit, and rooms may be shared. We try to love, respect and help each other and remember that we are all brothers and sisters.
This is what you can expect
- To receive free accommodation, food and toiletries but no money.
- You can sometimes get English classes, Counselling and opportunity to do nice activities i.e. choir, drumming, yoga etc.
- We will try to help you with your case and to get a GP
Alternative accommodation
We know a few other places who provide accommodation for people without recourse to public funds. If you know of any other accommodation providers please let us know and we will add them to our list.
In London:
- ashiana – Phone number: 020 85390427, Focuses on victims of domestic violence
- Shelter from the storm – Phone number: 020 7697 9569
- Missionaries of Charity – Phone numbers: 020 8969 2631, 020 8960 2644
- House of Divine Compassion – Phone number: 020 7474 5836
- London Hosting – Email adress: jean.demars@praxis.org.uk
- London Catholic Worker – Accommodation for men
- Just Homes
- Spare Room