A Wall of Kindness where people in need can find free warm coats, taking part in an exhibition that gives voice to the homeless, and plans to make monthly collections for the local foodbank – this is Truro Cathedral at the heart of their communities this Christmas.
Truro Cathedral and the Wall of Kindness
Truro Cathedral has teamed up with the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and TCClarke to create a Wall of Kindness in its car park behind the cathedral. It asks people to leave a coat they no longer need on the pegs so those without homes can stay warm and dry this winter.
All donations can be hung directly on the wall.
Truro Cathedral is also part of a pan-Cornwall arts project to shine a light on homelessness and break down some of the myths around it.
It is currently hosting a portrait on its exterior wall – one of 40 outdoor locations across Cornwall to take part in People. led by St Petrocs, a charity supporting adults in Cornwall struggling with housing, or facing or experiencing homelessness.
The exhibition shares the experiences of 70 people living in Cornwall through indoor and outdoor photographic portrait exhibitions, a website and a book, and aims to challenge the negative stigma and stereotyping that comes with homelessness.
A number of high-profile partners have signed up to host one of the outdoor portraits including Truro Cathedral, The Eden Project, the Minack Theatre, Rick Stein Restaurants, BBC Radio Cornwall, and Penzance’s Jubilee Pool, alongside smaller organisations and members of the public who’ve volunteered to display a portrait outside their business or home. One portrait is also being hosted by Centrepoint in London, a charity working with young people facing homelessness.
The project is a collaboration with social documentary photographer Gavan Goulder and community arts organisation StreetDraw24.
On Advent Sunday the cathedral also collected food for its local foodbank and hopes to make this a regular feature of its ministry in the new year.
The Acting Dean of Truro, Simon Robinson said:
“As a Cathedral, we are seeking to support those in need both in general and with specific forms of support.
“The Wall of Kindness has in particular been very moving. Every day there are new coats on the pegs, donated by strangers for those who are struggling with the winter cold. We are discussing further ways that we can extend our ministry to those in need and respond to the current needs of our communities.”
Find out more about the Wall of Kindness here.
And the People. exhibition at www.PeopleProjectCornwall.co.uk
