Meeting the staff

I had a lovely day today! I went to meet some of the staff in SHELTER (Dundee) and it was a really informative meeting, with very knowledgeable folk at the helm. I'd spoken to Tricia on the phone, and today I was able to put a face to the voice, which is always a good thing. I also had a good chat with Martin and Diane who told me all about the different services they offer.
I was introduced to all the staff who when they heard what I was doing were pleased...and some were pleased that they weren't doing it! The reactions went from some considering joining me for part of a day, or a day to the pulling of an empathetic grimace..which I appreciated, and so did my thighs, which are still feeling a little taut from the day I froze them to the point of nearly snapping.
So hearing about what SHELTER do really helped me get a fuller picture of all the aspects of their work.
Sometimes people are simply not aware of their rights and at this very difficult time, with the recession affecting every one, more and more people are facing problems keeping up with their mortgage and monthly rental payments. The staff can give advice on what to do and who to speak to before the problem escalates, they will also help with letter writing, as for some people this can be quite overwhelming and having a professional there to articulate their problems is a tremendous help.
SHELTER also offers legal representation for folk summoned to appear in court for defaulting on rent or mortgage payments. They really do cover every area and are there to support all of us who may have concerns about keeping a roof over our heads.
Tomorrow I intend to get on my bike and start increasing my training....I've managed to avoid hills (pretty much) so far. I do have to work a little bit tomorrow (on my paid job) and then it's out for an hour on the bike.
I'll keep you posted of course! I want to say a big thank you to the staff at SHELTER (Dundee) today for taking the time to meet with me and spend time explaining all that they do - I'm so glad I've chosen to support this charity!

Kathleen x

"If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble." - Bob Hope