14th July

As we move into a lighter period of lockdown, yet being careful or ‘alert’, one of the joys is catching up with people. I was over in Morecambe yesterday and dropped in on some old friends and although I didn’t have much time getting into our usual chat again, they can talk well about almost anything, was fantastic and you realise how much you have missed it. But at the same time some of the programmes of protection for those on the streets and others are coming to an end, and some have already been fairly unceremoniously put out on the street. For those of us who have had a ‘good lockdown’ and were delighted to get our hair cut among others things, let’s keep in our prayers all those who seem to suffer whatever society does. Those who have no power but can be the objects of what seems great care and support one minute, but are then shot right back to where they came from, often unnoticed, when whoever gave the care decides to end it. One of the things I like about Manna House here in Kendal in the winter is they work hard with those who use the emergency winter shelter to find them proper accommodation and help deal with at least some of the myriad problems people often have.