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Working shifts around the clock, Julie and her colleagues will be on call on for anyone facing loneliness, depression, domestic violence or any other problems over Christmas and the New Year. “While we provide a year-round support service that operates 24/7, Christmas is one of our busiest periods,” said Guyanese-born Julie, who has managed the Helpline since 2002. “Our Helpline is for everyone in need and we get calls mainly from London but also around the country, from Cardiff and Ireland.” Julie continued. “We even receive calls from as far away as Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, and Germany.” The UCKG works from a Pentecostal Christian standpoint. Its volunteers offer support, guidance, and prayer, according to the caller’s situation. They are fully trained in Christian theology and the necessary counselling skills by UCKG, which is a world-wide ministry, active in more than 100 countries. The team of volunteers, who range in age from 20 to over 55, include men and women born in the UK and overseas. This year they include a new bride, Jestina Ziumbe, 37, who married fellow church member, Araya Yohannes, 38 just a month ago. They both agree that supporting the Helpline callers is more important than their own Christmas. Importantly, the UCKG Helpline aims to encourage long term changes in callers’ circumstances, so that they can put their problems behind them and move on. “We do not restrict our assistance to what can be done over the phone”, Julie added. “Many cases involving depression and emotional trauma, for instance, are deep seated and need more than a phone conversation. Principally because of this we encourage callers to attend appointments at their nearest UCKG HelpCentre for guidance and one-to-one counselling, free of charge.” If the problem is a matter of health, UCKG’s helpers stress the importance of seeing a doctor, and do all they can to persuade the person to make proper use of the NHS. Callers may also be referred to Social Services or other agencies as appropriate. The Helpline team will also arrange for trained UCKG volunteers to visit people in their homes, in hospital or in prison, if this is what they need. The UCKG has been serving the UK for over twelve years, offering a mix of practical and prayerful support. The first services were held in Brixton in 1995. Since then it has built up a network of churches across London and throughout the country. Typically, its congregations are 70 per cent of African/Caribbean origin, 5 per cent Asian, 15 per cent Caucasian and 10 per cent of other ethnicity.
ENDS If you require any further information regarding the UCKG, please submit your enquiry or telephone Francessca Lewis on 0207 686 6033.
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While most people are looking forward to a break over Christmas, Julie Tedeschi and a team of 19 volunteers are all set to work their way through the festive season. The reason is that they operate the UCKG Helpline (tel: 020 7686 6000) providing a national support service from offices in Finsbury Park, North London. 