Christian Help in Partnership CHIPS (Morecambe)
Registered Charity No 1088634

Christian Help on Partnership, lovingly know as CHIPS, is an ecumenical visiting and befriending service for isolated older people in the Morecambe area.  Referrals can be made by anyone. The Project director or her Deputy visit all new clients to assess their needs and a volunteer, who will visit regularly, is then introduced to befriend the clients.

On Tuesday afternoons we run T@2 for housebound clients who are brought into the centre, which is located at The Open Door, 9 Morecambe Street, Morecambe.

Volunteers are recruited through churches and other sources.

In 1996 CHIPS was the vision of Father Harry Holden, Parish Priest at the time of St. Mary’s R.C. Church, Morecambe and Rev. Canon Anthony Clegg, Rector at the time of Morecambe Parish Church. The project was to be as described above, both ecumenical and run by lay people from the local churches. A Steering Committee was set up which included Peter Nolan who at that time worked for Catholic Caring Services. Peter had experience in the establishment of a similar project in Cone.

In 1988 having secured sufficient funding from various charitable trust we appointed Pauline Elder MA, BA. Dip.SW as Project Director and the steering committee members became Trustees of the Project. We operated then from a rented office in The Lighthouse, Townley Street. Morecambe. It was always our ambition to have premises that would allow social gatherings and light catering in addition to the administration work. With this in mind we acquired the lease of a former shop on Morecambe Street and after considerable refurbishment we were able to declare “The Open Door” open.

We now employ Rev. Linda Macluskie as assistant to Pauline Elder and Mavis Lee who facilitates the Tea@2 sessions.

The project has gone from strength to strength. We depend entirely on sufficient funding being available to support our staff and our premises and we rely heavily on the expertise of the staff and the willingness of a band of caring volunteers. We live from hand to mouth, by faith. Sometimes the future looks bleak but then suddenly the wherewithal is given and we are able to carry on. We are ever mindful of the importance of prayer to our project and we are well aware that the Holy Spirit has guided our actions over the last eleven years.

Please remember us in your prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord.

3.06.08.