The Besom in Histon and Impington

The Besom is a loosely connected national organisation of local action Christian groups committed to offering goods and services to people from any background in need of a helping hand. Volunteers come from local churches and no-one is paid. All services are free of charge, there is no advertising and nor will Besom ask for funds. Despite being a Christian organisation, Besom is not a ‘preaching’ service, there are no strings attached to the help given and no-one will judge people for their circumstances. Lead volunteers from the Besom are all Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked.

Helping local people facing financial hardship and in need of household goods/furniture or with one-off help with their homes or gardens, volunteers  work within a nominal ten mile radius of their base. There is a sister organisation, the Besom in Cambridge, covering the city and one or other team will do their best to respond to referrals, and both teams works closely together.

If you need this support and are on benefits, you can request a referral from a professional (a social worker, social prescribing link worker, housing officer, health visitor, a charity worker, religious leader, GP and so on). If you are a professional seeking support for an individual or family you are working with, don’t hesitate to contact Besom. If you are seeking to set up accommodation for people fleeing conflict and need equipment or practical assistance, then Besom will help.

In terms of goods supplied, Besom can only offer what they have previously been given. Therefore a vital part of their service is the people who donate pre-loved goods for Besom to pass on.

Recent projects have included helping a single dad furnish a bedroom so his children could stay overnight and helping an older person with mobility issues de-clutter and clean their home. Here is an example of what they’ve achieved within a day or two from receiving a referral:

“An email was received requesting items for a family with three children who had been placed in an empty property the previous day. By 5pm, two chests of drawers, beds, a fridge, a freezer, a sofa and two armchairs, tables, a microwave, a kettle, a toaster, cutlery, crockery, mugs, glasses, a kitchen starter pack and bedding had been delivered, along with a large food parcel. The family were put in touch with the food bank in their village for longer term support. Finally, thanks to good relationships with the charities’ network a grant for a cooker was organised.”

If you’d like to volunteer your time, skills, goods or services to The Besom in Histon & Impington you can contact Martin and Moya Thompson on the mobile number or email address above, or more information can be found on the Facebook page.

Support from The Besom in Histon & Impington is free.