Friendly donation to give hope to homeless

Updated: 12 Jun 2023

The Oddfellows' Concord Branch has raised £2,502.70 for The Hope Hub in Camberley, a charity that works to prevent and end homelessness in Surrey Heath Borough and the surrounding areas.

Practical ways to support people

Representatives from Concord Oddfellows visited the charity’s main offices on 18 April to present the donation to its CEO, Mags Mercer.

Bruce Nicole, the outgoing Chairman of Concord Oddfellows, chose The Hope Hub as his charity to support during his one-year tenure.

The total was raised through a number of fundraising events such as a murder mystery dinner party, raffles and a quiz night, and member donations.

Pictured L-R: The Hope Hub’s CEO Mags Mercer receiving the donation from Concord Oddfellows’ outgoing Chairman Bruce Nicole and Deputy Chairman Hannah Appleby.

Bruce said: “It was my privilege to choose the charity that Concord Oddfellows would fundraise for during my time as Chairman.

“The Hope Hub works hard to help people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless. I was a vicar in Camberley for 25 years and one of my major concerns during that time was there existed pockets of financial hardship, even in an area of the country that appears to be affluent.

“Living on the A30, I was also a port of call for ‘men of the road’ looking for help and, or, accommodation. My aspiration throughout that time was to find practical ways to help people, and I became a founding Trustee of The Hope Hub.”

Incredibly grateful

The Hope Hub charity was founded by the ecumenical churches of Churches Together in Camberley in 2017 and is a delivery partner for Surrey Heath Borough Council.

The charity’s CEO, Mags Mercer, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for our local Oddfellows’ support. The donation will help us to keep the centre open and continue to give people the help they desperately need. This includes emergency accommodation, wellbeing support and food.”

Jane Nicole, District Secretary for Concord Oddfellows, said: “‘Making Friends and Helping People’ is our strapline for the society and raising funds for charities is just one of the ways that our members help others.”

The current Chairman, installed on 1 April, has chosen The Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Farnham as the focus for Concord Oddfellows' fundraising over the coming year.

Find out more

With around 500 local members, Concord Oddfellows is part of one of the oldest and largest friendly societies in the UK and hosts regular in-person and online events in and around West Surrey and North East Hampshire.

For more information about Concord Oddfellows’ fundraising activities, and what events are coming up locally, call Jane Nicole on 01420 84254, email jane.nicole@oddfellows.co.uk or visit our online Events Finder.

To find your nearest Oddfellows Branch, visit our online Branch Finder.

To find out more about how the Oddfellows gives back to its communities nationally and locally, visit our giving back section.