The Friends of the Connection are a country-wide network of people who are committed to supporting the work of The Connection at St Martin’s So, as well as paying an annual subscription of £15, most Friends make additional generous donations. Friends are able to keep abreast of developments in the field of homelessness and the work of The Connection, by attending our annual Friends Day, which is held in September each year. Friends are also able to attend other open events at The Connection, where there is a chance to talk to staff and clients about their experiences.

We organise fundraising concerts in central London, and the annual Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride, a 200-mile 4-day sponsored ride from Lincoln to London. We are always open to ideas for other events and activities that could attract new Friends, and help us do more to tackle homelessness.

We also encourage Friends to spread the word locally by inviting one of our Speakers to attend a local group or meeting to talk about homelessness and how The Connection responds. And a growing number of Friends find ways of fundraising locally, and enjoying the process at the same time – everything from coffee mornings to carol singing, and bake offs to yoga days.

Lastly, Friends remember the work of The Connection in their wills, making legacies a really important part of our overall income.