There are hundreds of feet of corridors in the new centre and the Friends thought it would be a good idea to hang  some inspirational  pictures around the place.

What better way to fill the space than to invite people to submit images which they think would be appropriate for the walls of a homeless hostel.

A website was set up and photographers invited to enter in four categories and add a small caption as to why they thought it would fit in.

Nearly 50 images were entered, surpassing all expectation.

Nick Pannell, chair of the Friends said: "We were thrilled by the public’s engagement and the thoughtful reasons why they chose to submit a particular image. The business of choosing the winning  images was left to the  residents as it is their home, not ours."

The four that have now been enlarged and are ready to hang are: Lost and Found: photograph of a bee by K T Hemmings. Faith: photograph of ‘the road less travelled’ by Anna Goodchild Home: photograph of Thatcher Rock by David Blakeley. Recovery: photograph of flowers in a vase by Clive Figes.

The four winners were invited to the hostel to see their pictures, meet residents and staff including the directors of Chapter One and Shekinah which run the hostel.

Such has been the success of the competition, and with so much more wall space to fill, the Friends are thinking of organizing another competition next year. Keep an eye on the Herald Express for details.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY: Open Garden in aid of the Friends of Factory Row on Saturday July 9.

Dawn patrol on the mean streets of Torbay
THERE are many roles for volunteers in the work of the hostel, Friend of Factory Row committee member Martin Lemon has chosen to join the break of dawn patrol to identify rough sleepers and offer help. Here he talks about the work.

In winter it’s cold and dark when Ron Nyland (acting deputy manager at the hostel)  and I meet at the hostel at 6.30am.  In the summer although lighter it’s still often chilly.  But we’ve just crawled out of warm beds, nourished by a good night’s sleep even though we’d probably have welcomed another hour.

It’s hard to imagine how anyone could pass the night, especially in winter, on a bench, in a deserted sports ground, a beachside hut, or a shop entrance.   But, there are men and women some in their late teens, some much older even in their mid-seventies, who sleep rough sometimes for weeks and months on end.

Ron, equipped with a flask of hot coffee, a torch and his mobile ‘phone, sets off in his car with me at his side.  We head for likely places where rough sleepers might be expected to be.  Sometimes Ron has learned from one of the hostel residents of a new location where a friend could be sleeping.  As we move round the Bay at that hour there are few people on the streets; just a few joggers, dog-walkers, and street cleaners.  We see the sea in all her moods and are lucky enough to see some wonderful sunrises.

We don’t always find anyone.  For 20 years now local councils have a duty of care and are obliged to offer shelter to the homeless.  As a result in Torquay there are fewer people living rough than 20 years ago.  Some homelessness people may be disguised by squatting or so-called “sofa surfing”, the drifting from one invariably unsuitable home to another, never settling, a precarious existence risking exposure to drugs and other abuse.

Who are the people we encounter?  There are few strangers although in the summer months there are drifters from outside the Bay hoping to find work and prisoners just released from prison.  Most are local people often already known to Social Services and the LS Centre.  Some have run away from abusive family relationships.   Others been ejected from their homes by their families or their landlords for violent or disorderly behaviour brought on by alcohol or drugs abuse.   Some appear to have mental health problems. A few (very few) have become inured to life under the stars and refuse all offers of shelter.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel by Ed Williams 

This was me, I was hungry and cold,

I lived in a concrete tunnel, and no money no food and little will to live.

 I was lost in my home town, full of a cold and sick for the love of food.  

I had nothing but my phone and a camera to keep me happy.

Rejected by family and sent out onto the streets to battle with addiction.

An old friend mentioned a hostel, I went for a referral.

A sandwich would have been great, let alone meals and a room of my own,

clothes to wear and my own shower, washing machines tumble dryers, an Iron. Most of all a bed!

I couldn’t believe my luck; I had a chance to develop my future.

There were courses on offer outings to go rowing and climbing,

The link work sessions really gave me an insight into my problems and ways to deal with them.

I’m really happy that the Leonards Stocks Centre was there to pick me up when I fell.

Now I drive a nice car, I have my family back and I have a future worth waiting for.

Thanks to your generous giving, we are able to continue to fund projects and regular donations to the work of the hostel. We have bought two computers costing around £450 each for the residents to use and train on. Every week we donate £25 to purchase fresh fruit. This is not only distributed to residents but also to rough sleepers who are invited into the hostel in the morning and offered outreach support.

Friends who have visited the hostel will be aware that there are many long corridors which can look much the same. It is easy to get lost. The Friends want to hang some pictures on these walls and rather than just visit Trago Mills and buy some we thought we might organize a photographic competition to which the public can send in digital  images and then the residents can choose their favourites. The Friends will then pay to have these images printed and mounted.