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St Leonards Home

Saturday 2nd May 2026

Saturday 2nd May saw Howard, Chris and Sandra arrive in good time as regulars and St Leonards Market was in full swing. Geoff also chose to join us with Kene also from Bexhill. Not much in the way of litter this time which is a good thing as we have more time to talk to people about Jesus given the opportunity, which is our main aim. People were pleased to see us in Kings Road. Gerry, the owner of Mama Putts, recognised Geoff as he was passing; he also knew Kene, so again a good relationship building conversation. The same can be said of a number of stall holders they spoke to.

An encouraging time with many opportunities to continue to build on current relationships in the future, which looks very promising and exciting. A lovely couple treated them to coffee in Dandelions, a popular cafe in this road. It is hoped that there will be another meet-up with them soon; they are relatively new to St Leonards and looking for a church to attend. Howard, Chris and Sandra decided to try Warrior Square itself. Whilst fairly quiet, we met two ladies and Sandra enjoyed discussing all things 'dog' with them! They took one of our testimony leaflets which is a good seed to sow. We then continued to the back of the bakery where we had cleaned up such a lot last time. We did not see the lady that we saw before but, whilst we were there, the real bin men arrived with their lorry and they were extremely pleasant to us.

Well done and thanks to all.

Easter Saturday April 2026

Today myself, Chris and Sandra all came. Having Sandra made a big difference and we all enjoyed the morning. Her dog helped to keep us from moving too fast and to engage more.

The market was up and running in Kings Road. We spoke to a few people, including a Christian from St Ethelberg Church, Filsham Road, who showed interest and took one of the Jesus Loves leaflets when I told her we needed more volunteers; she was happy to take it and mention it in her church.

We also spoke to a couple of very friendly atheists (again, it was the dogs that started the conversation) and I realised I had made a mistake not to have any tracts like 'Knowing God Personally' as I believe they would have taken them.

The best part of the session was going onto a side road off London Road and getting caught up cleaning the most enormous amount of rubbish behind a cafe bakery where there was a handy large bin right there. Whilst it may have seemed not ideal as it was a quiet place, the lady from the bakery came out and said how pleased she was with what we were doing. She told us it was always a terrible mess from the surrounding flats. Her name was something like Tess or Tesh and she was from South Africa. We all got our first free cup of coffee today from her! Sandra prayed for her business, and believed we were meant to be there today. We filled the entire bin. There is a photograph which she will put on WhatsApp.

Just very encouraging today, much more than I expected. We all enjoyed it and felt a sense of purpose.

February 2026

A good start to our litter picking adventure for 2026, when Alan, Geoff, Howard & Ed arrived to brave the weather and ready to share about Jesus.

After dishing out kit for Ed and quickly briefing everyone that it’s all about lifting up the name of Jesus, picking up litter is secondary. If we get into conversations about Jesus and give out one of our Bexhill or Sidley testimony leaflets, then that’s great, but as we are all wearing HiVis tops with Jesus Loves St Leonards in large letters on them, many seeds are already being sown.

One lady stopped Alan to read his logo more clearly, and Michael from Maidstone expressed delight at seeing us out litter picking which is something he does in Maidstone, but gets some negative comments about doing the councils job etc, not a Christian but readily took a testimony leaflet to look at later. As did Kim the lady who had been homeless for 26 years, blind in one eye and 50% sight loss in the other, has got off drugs but still alcohol dependant at the moment. Alan offered to pray for her which she readily accepted. Alan like Deborah has a gift when talking to the homeless and has much insight, a good man to talk to if you want more understanding.

Howard and Ed met Caz, a lady who owns a shop in Kings Road, but as it does not open until 12 would like to join us before then, she took a testimony leaflet so we hope to hear from her. She became a Christian at 16, now she’s around 60, a very good encounter which can be strengthened and followed up. Ed also met a chap that reckoned we were all brainwashed, and recommended some particular reading material to enlighten us!!

We ended up in the Rye Bakery Cafe where we were given two large sausage rolls that someone left behind free of charge, the start of a good ongoing relationship.

A breakthrough in St Leonards I think has been achieved, favour has been given, we were thanked and appreciated, and it can only get better.

December 2025

A bit blustery and a bit of a downpour at one point, but a good day for five of us to turn up for another litter picking adventure.

One stand out point was that three of us, at different times with different people, were questioned on doing voluntary work, two people commented that we are doing the work of the Council, and one mentioned that he never does voluntary work at any time, and has never done so. Negative comments, but the start of good conversations, and the promise from a very friendly Jamaican man, that he would read one of our testimony leaflets later.

A good conversation was had with a very nice couple, who unfortunately left their local church in St Leonards over a problem, however the gentleman was very interested in our litter picking sticks and took a photograph so he could order one. I invited him to join us, in which case he would be given a stick to keep, presented them both with testimony leaflets and contact cards, and encouraged him to contact us to pursue further. As is quite common with people, when you get over the initial greeting, and a friendly conversation ensues, they invariably ask what church we go to, which is an open door we cannot go through at the moment with only one of the team going to church in St Leonards, although three live there.

We then met Jerry cleaning the windows and sweeping the pavement outside his Afro-Caribbean. restaurant, “Mamma Putts.” A very friendly Nigerian man, who learnt cooking from his Grandma, he was given a leaflet, and we can’t wait to go back and try out his Jollof Rice!

Deborah certainly has a ministry with the homeless, readily providing a hot drink and words of encouragement, she invariably meets one or two, but today it was three. Her training and experience with Street Pastors, has certainly made its mark, and encourages all of us.

Next stop was Rye Bakery Café as heavy rain just started, where we met Chris and his friend, and had the opportunity to explain what we were up to. Chris volunteered that he is Assistant Church Warden at Christ Church, Blacklands (Hastings), and will pass on our details (testimony and contact cards given) to the man who organises their regular men’s meetings with the possibility of an invitation to speak at one. Jesus Loves Hastings do you think?

The usual, well done and thank you from people, and generally we all had an excellent encouraging morning.

November 2025

It was a very cold, windy morning, too cold to stop and talk with people on street corners, although Deborah managed to! She met several homeless men, buying a drink for one and praying for another.

Geoff chatted with a man called Kaiser, who seemed to be homeless and was apparently making his way along the coast, and gave him and his friend testimony leaflets.

It was great to have Andy with us for the first time and he said afterwards how much he enjoyed the morning. He and Geoff went into the Dandelion café to chat about how the Jesus Loves mornings work, and then the rest of the team joined them later, where we adjourned to the basement section. At the next table there were a couple of ladies, Faela, who was Irish, and Tricia, who was from Jamaica. The team spoke to them and discovered that Tricia was a Buddhist and Faela was, as far as they could tell, a humanist. The team spoke with them and witnessed to them for about an hour. Deborah shared her (very powerful) testimony with them and the team gave them leaflets. They were happy to have their photo taken. Geoff remarked, “This was the only time that I have ever witnessed to a lady who then shook my hand and gave me a hug!”

Jane discovered strong Chinese connections with these ladies. Tricia’s great grandfather was Chinese and she is interested in learning more about Chinese history. Faela (who had visited Jane’s place of birth, Chengdu) can speak a few words of Chinese. They are both wanting to learn more of the Chinese language and culture and this is something that Jane feels she would like to start teaching. Jane was amazed that, in a group of six people, three had been to Chengdu (apart from Jane herself!).

Every litter picking day is an exciting adventure; we never know who we will meet or what God will do as we give ourselves to him and seek to follow his leading, and only he knows what fruit will result from what we do.

25th October 2025

It was a lovely sunny morning when we met up at Christ Church car park, Geoff collected Jesus Loves St Leonards hi vis jackets and equipment from the church and once we were all kitted up and had committed the morning to God in prayer, we set off for our second Jesus Loves St Leonards adventure.
At the train station Deborah became aware of a young man looking at the back of her tabard. She discovered his name was Ron and they started chatting about the temporary work he is doing at the station. When he told her he wants a change of direction and a permanent job, she said she would pray for him. Deborah told him she goes to King’s Church Bexhill and found that he knows of King’s Church in St Leonards.
When Deborah told Jane what she had shared with Ron, they had started walking away from the station, but more and more Jane felt a prompting from the Holy Spirit that they should do more for the young man. She could see him, now further away, and saw that he was looking at them as if he perhaps wanted to know more, and that impression had prompted Jane that they should go back and give him a testimony leaflet so that the stories of others could touch his life, and that he would hopefully seek the Lord and go to King’s Church St Leonards. So they went and gave him a leaflet.
It was an encouraging morning, with many people expressing their thanks and appreciation for the litter-picking. Jane and Deborah also met one of their church members, who encouraged them in what they were doing.
For the second time Geoff made for the Goat Ledge area thinking that would be the busiest place with plenty of opportunities to interact with people, but he found that King’s Road (where the team met up afterwards) is where there was the most interaction and appreciation. They were encouraged that now there are two people they have begun a relationship with, the young man working at the station and a young waiter in a coffee bar who went out of his way to thank them when serving their coffee.

Our Aim

The aim of Jeus Loves St Leonards is to do our part in cleaning the streets of litter, to make good contacts with the St Leonards community, to tell them about Jesus where appropriate, and to provide practical help.

Our very first litter picking adventure started on the 27th September 2025, when we all meet together in the Christ Church St Leonards car park, where we were presented with our own specially printed HiVis, and prayed on our way by Father Thomas.

We hope to be joined by many more participants from other churches in the area in the future, as together we help to make Jesus known.