Church does all it can for vulnerable

The report mentioned that they had been sleeping rough around St Marks Church and in fact there was a picture of them lying in one our flower beds. Members of St Marks are concerned at the way in which the church might have been seen to have been indifferent to the plight of this couple. I am particularly disappointed that whoever came into the church grounds and took a picture of the couple made no contact with me both to ask permission to take photographs in the church grounds or indeed to see what other facts might have emerged.

For the record, we had no knowledge that the people sleeping rough in the church grounds were a couple whose child was seriously ill. When we saw evidence of people sleeping rough, i.e. belongings etc in the bushes, we contacted the police and spoke to the person responsible at the city council for providing support and help to people sleeping rough.

St Marks, like other churches does all it can to help such vulnerable people. I hope this can be made clear.

Canon Adrian Alker, St Marks Church, Broomhill