Wild Goose Café
Encyclopedia
Purpose
The Wild Goose Cafe is a project run by Crisis Centre Ministries, or 'CCM', a Christian run local charity based in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They are a charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
working to improve the lives of socially excluded, homeless people and those with addiction problems.
It is a place where practical needs can be fulfilled; hot meals are available, assistance with finding accommodation, help applying for benefits and providing advice and support. The staff at 'The Goose' put their 'Clients' in touch with the resources they need.
Location
On 27 November 2010 CCM opened a new drop-in centre on Stapleton Road, moving from small premises at 12 City Road to a much larger and better equipped building in Easton.The Management
The Cafe is managed by Alan Goddard, aided by his two assistant managers Lisa Mannion and Chris Cherrill.Alan had a troubled past but "despite his problems, managed to drag himself away from South Wales, and checked into a rehab clinic in Bristol", he overcame his issues and draws upon that experience to lead the team.
The Volunteers
The Wild Goose is open throughout the year, run by a small full-time staff and 140 volunteers.Number of Servings
In 2009 they served 80,000 hot meals and helped 344 people into supported accommodation.Appearance on Channel 4's Secret Millionaire Program
In 2009 a donation of £125,000 was made by Dawn GibbinsDawn Gibbins
Dawn Gibbins MBE is a British entrepreneur who started commercial and industrial flooring company Flowcrete in 1982 in south Cheshire, England, with her late father, Peter Gibbins. She oversaw its international and domestic growth, covering 30 offices worldwide and 12 manufacturing sites in the UK,...
after she worked 'undercover' at the Goose as part of the The Secret Millionaire television program. As Dawn handed over the money to Assistant Manager Lisa Mannion, she said "this is one of the best nights of my life... knowing that some of those people can move-on and get off of the streets". That money, added to other significant donations, was used to fund the purchase and refurbishment of the new premises on Stapleton Road.
In 2010 Dawn returned to film a follow up to the original broadcast. The program was broadcast on 11 January 2011 and Dawn explained that her experience working with her supported charities had literally changed her life. Dawn explained that she found Lisa Mannion's 'dream' compelling and she 'wanted to make this girl's dream come true'.
During Dawn's initial conversation with Lisa at the Wild Goose she is told "anyone can come in... you could not have a penny in your pocket or you could have £1M in your pocket", the scene is memorable because of Dawn's facial expression.
Notable Media Campaigns
- Manager Alan Goddard's campaign for more homeless hostels in Bristol.
- Manager Alan Goddard's warning that the homeless of Bristol may lose their lives in the cold winter of 2010 - 2011.
- Assistant Manager Lisa Mannion thanks Bristol Evening Post Readers for their kind offers of help for a 74-year-old woman from Italy.
- Bristol cafe helps homeless come in from the cold