When asking Julia about her experience with Besom, she responded thoughtfully. “There is a lot of local poverty and brokenness, even in this area,” she told me. I volunteered for Besom for a total of four weeks last summer, during the first lockdown, and can say without a doubt that this statement is true. While many may not expect it of Surrey—home to some of the richest people in England—poverty is right around the corner.
Besom helped a total of one-hundred-and-eighty families last year, according to Julia. “Some families... do not have a cooker or washing machine and cannot afford new ones if they are broken.” Having visited a handful of these one-hundred-and-eighty families, this is evident from the moment one walks inside their home. One mother survived without a refrigerator for eight weeks. Another had to get by without a microwave, because hers had broken down after countless years of use.
My personal experience with Besom was, to put it frankly, harrowing. I am privileged enough to have grown up in a home where my needs and wants have almost always been answered. For many children interacting with Besom volunteers, this is not the case.
I recall visiting a woman’s small single bedroom home to take measurements for curtains and to move some furniture. She had two young boys, both of which immediately ran up to me as soon as I entered the house. The majority of my visit consisted of pushing tiny metal racing cars around a plastic track, cheering the boys when they won and answering their adorably blunt questions (“Are you Chinese? How old are you? Do you like cars?”).
Their mother was a lovely lady, a woman training to be a nurse. She was kind and laughed generously at our antics. Their situation was less than desirable, yet she showed us so much humility and gentleness. I returned to the storage unit feeling oddly humbled. That memory will last with me for a long time.
Julia described another visit to me over our Zoom meet, this one considerably less joyful. She went to speak to a client; an elderly blind man who had recently moved into council housing. What she discovered was heart breaking. The man—a kindly father—had recently been robbed of everything he owned by his own family. As Julia recounted her experience, I felt my heart growing heavier and my chest tightening.
This is the reason Besom’s work is crucial. More than a charity, Besom are a lifeline. They provide a helping hand to those in need, befriend the weak and uplift the needy. The fact that they simply pray for all their donations is amazing. As the Bible says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Despite being a Christian charity, Besom doesn’t discriminate. They aim to help everyone connected to them through social services, no matter their religion, sexuality, gender or age. For example, one girl we visited couldn’t have been more than a day over twenty-two. Five years older than myself. She had moved into council housing after her abusive boyfriend kicked her out of their house, forcing her to sleep in bus shelters for a number of weeks.
She was an energetic young woman, ecstatic to be moving into her own home after suffering for so long. I enjoyed speaking with her immensely, and often wonder how she’s doing. If it weren’t for Besom, this woman wouldn’t have any kitchenware, dishes, ironing board or towels. Not to mention her microwave!
Now, Besom’s work is more crucial than ever. Lockdown and the loss of jobs has forced more people into unemployment and poverty than usual, and Besom have been struggling to keep up with the ever increasing demand. Furthermore, many of the volunteers are in the older age bracket, and a significant portion have had to shield instead of helping out at the charity.
Besom’s journey began with James Odgers in 1987, who left his job in law for Hong Kong, to help those suffering from a heroin addiction within the walled city. He worked alongside Jackie Pullinger, a famous Christian missionary who was called to Hong Kong as a young woman. “I remember distinctly feeling that I should establish a charity that helped people to give,” he wrote. This would later become part of Besom’s mission statement; to be a charity that encouraged giving.
The word ‘besom’ refers to a traditional broom made of twigs, which eventually inspired their slogan, ’sweep away suffering’. Indeed, this was made very clear to me during my interview with Julia. “The aim of Besom is to encourage Christians to make an impact in their local community by showing love and care to people,” she told me.
Spending time with Besom’s clients, the other volunteers and Julia gave me a closer look into what Besom is all about. At base level, Besom is a force of good, bringing hope and peace into people’s tempest-ridden lives.
If you would like to find out more about Besom and their mission, you can visit their website at https://www.besom.com/how-foundation-and-history .
