# Catching Lives > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Catching_Lives > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Catching_Lives.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catching_Lives > Source revision: 1347518730 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Catching Lives** is a [charity](/source/Charitable_organization#Registration)[1] based in [Canterbury](/source/Canterbury), [England](/source/England), that assists rough sleepers, the [homeless](/source/Homeless) and those in insecure housing. It relies on donations, [volunteers](/source/Volunteering) and fundraising within its local community.[2] As of 2011, [Archbishop of Canterbury](/source/Archbishop_of_Canterbury) [Rowan Williams](/source/Rowan_Williams) was [patron](/source/Patron).[2] Catching Lives' Open Centre provides services such as meals, showers, laundry, clothing and a postal address to its clients. The staff and volunteers work with them to address issues they may have; get access to suitable accommodation, and find the motivation to take steps towards independent living. The charity operates a winter night [shelter](/source/Homeless_shelter) in conjunction with local churches. 2016–2017 was its seventh season. The project opens [church halls](/source/Church_hall) for Canterbury rough sleepers. Volunteers transport bedding, cook meals and welcome those who stay.[3] ## History ### Name Catching Lives began as *Canterbury Open Christmas*; before becoming *Canterbury Open Centre*, and then the *Scrine Foundation* after founders Joan Scrine and her husband Rev Ralph Scrine[4][1] On 1 July 2010 the charity adopted its present name. It is a Registered Charity, number 1014868, and [Limited Company](/source/Limited_Company) number 2719436.[1] ### Evolution The original Canterbury Open Centre provided [hostel space for the homeless](/source/Homeless_shelter) in Canterbury. In 2002 it absorbed the *Kent Literacy Scheme*; in 2004 the *Canterbury Youth Project'*s homelessness advice service for young people, and in 2005 the *Finding Your Feet* scheme for [asylum seekers](/source/Asylum_seeker).[4] The foundation piloted [alcohol](/source/Alcohol_(drug)) [rehabilitation](/source/Drug_rehabilitation) techniques for homeless people and unusually, job training. A resettlement team housed clients and assisted new tenants seeking long term homes. By 2007 it operated 146 hostel spaces and had 60 full-time staff.[4] In 2009, the loss of contracts worth nearly £600,000 per year from [Kent County Council](/source/Kent_County_Council), who claimed quality standards were not being met, caused a funding crisis.[5] The foundation's [trustees](/source/Trustees) denied the allegations but had to give all 66 staff [notice](/source/Notice) of [redundancy](/source/Layoff).[5] On 31 October 2009 the Scrine Foundation's night shelter closed after 14 years.[6] A month later it re-opened as a [day centre](/source/Day_centre). ## Catching Lives Bookshop Catching Lives Bookshop is a volunteer run [bookshop](/source/Charity_shop) that helps to fund the charity. It operates from *The Crooked House*, also known as *Sir John Boy's House* or the *Old Dutch House*, a quirky, skewed [17th century](/source/17th_century), double [jettied](/source/Jettied), [half-timbered](/source/Timber_framing#Half-timbering) building at the end of Palace Street, opposite [The Kings School](/source/The_King's_School,_Canterbury). The shop is one of the most photographed buildings in Canterbury and stocks [fiction](/source/Fiction) and non-fiction books, as well as CDs, [vinyl](/source/Phonograph_record) and DVDs.[7][8] ## See also - [Homelessness in England](/source/Homelessness_in_England) ## References 1. ["Info Pack"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110516213323/http://www.catchinglives.org/pdf/Partner-Pack.pdf). Catching Lives. Archived from [the original](http://www.catchinglives.org/pdf/Partner-Pack.pdf) on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2010-09-02. 1. ["Winter Shelter"](https://catchinglives.org/winter-shelter/). *Catching Lives*. 27 July 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20221106113738/https://catchinglives.org/winter-shelter/) 6 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 4 December 2022. 1. Little, Matthew (2007-01-10). ["Collaborators: Mergers save Kent care charities"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110930085907/http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/archive/628647/Collaborators-Mergers-save-Kent-care-charities/). *Third Sector*. Archived from [the original](http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/archive/628647/Collaborators-Mergers-save-Kent-care-charities/) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2010-09-02. 1. Warren, Gerry (23 July 2009), ["Funding crisis for Canterbury's homeless charity, the Scrine Foundation"](http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2009/july/23/funding_blow_for_scrine.aspx), *Kentish Gazette*, [archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120616141110/http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2009/july/23/funding_blow_for_scrine.aspx) 16 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2010-09-02 1. ["Homelessness rise concerns charities"](http://www.yourcanterbury.co.uk/kent-news/Homelessness-rise-concerns-charities-newsinkent38653.aspx?news=local), *Yourcanterbury*, 12 August 2010, retrieved 2010-09-02[dead link] 1. ["Catching Lives Bookshop"](https://catchinglives.org/bookshop/). *Catching Lives*. 27 July 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220924151444/https://catchinglives.org/bookshop/) 24 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-12-03. 1. ["Sir John Boy's House"](http://www.machadoink.com/Sir%20John%20Boys%20House.htm). *Historic Canterbury*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211209011100/http://www.machadoink.com/Sir%20John%20Boys%20House.htm) 9 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 4 December 2022. ## Further reading - Scrine, Ralph (2004). *Every Day of the Year: A History of Canterbury Open Centre*. Scrine Foundation. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Catching Lives](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catching_Lives) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catching_Lives?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.