At The Ferry Project, we believe that lasting change rarely happens in isolation. It takes communities, charities, and individuals coming together, pooling their resources, their energy, and their heart,  to make a real difference in people’s lives. This week, we were reminded of exactly that.

We were delighted to receive a generous gift of slow cookers and carbon monoxide alarms, presented to both The Ferry Project and the Queen Mary Centre. These practical, life-enhancing items arrived thanks to a wonderful chain of generosity involving five community organisations; a testament to what becomes possible when people choose to work together.

How It Happened

The story begins with Lucille Bingham, Village Agent for Fenland at Cambridgeshire ACRE, who was gifted the appliances by Cadent Gas through their Community Fund.This ia a fund set up in partnership with Cadent to encourage employees to raise money for local charities close to their hearts. Rather than keep the benefit within one organisation, Cadent’s aim was clear: pass these resources on to groups and charities where they would be most needed.

Lucille brought them to us. And in doing so, she brought five organisations together in a moment of shared purpose.

Five Organisations, One Vision

The Ferry Project (that’s us) is an award-winning homelessness charity based here in Wisbech. We provide emergency shelter, hostel support, employment training, and a full pathway to independent living for single adults experiencing homelessness across the Fenland area. At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: “to assist homeless single adults with love and a range of support on their journey towards independent living.”

The Queen Mary Centre (which is managed by The Ferry Project) is a much-loved community hub in the heart of Wisbech, opening its doors to a huge variety of organisations and weekly activities — from the Citizens Advice Bureau to police dog training. Their mission is wonderfully simple: to bring the community together. And they do exactly that.

Cambridgeshire ACRE supports rural communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, helping local people create real and lasting change. From empowering volunteers to connecting local groups so they achieve more together, Cambridgeshire ACRE is committed to helping rural communities thrive.

Cadent Gas and the Cadent Foundation Community Fund made this entire chain possible. By enabling employees to fundraise for local charities that matter to them, they help organisations like ours provide meaningful support to those most in need.

From Me to You — Donate A Letter is a letter-writing charity that reaches out to individuals and groups, inspiring people to write to those living with cancer. Their Donate A Letter initiative tackles the social isolation and loneliness that so often accompanies a cancer diagnosis. As they put it, receiving a letter or card — even from a stranger — can bring connection and comfort at the hardest of times.

More Than Slow Cookers and Smoke Alarms

Practical as these gifts are, a slow cooker can transform mealtimes for someone rebuilding their life, and a smoke alarm can save it.  What moved us most was the spirit behind them.

Five organisations, each with their own focus and community, united by a shared conviction: everyone has the right to feel safe, secure, loved, and respected.

That belief runs through everything we do at The Ferry Project. It drives us to keep our doors open, to walk alongside people in crisis, and to celebrate every step someone takes toward independence and stability.

Days like this remind us that we are never doing this work alone.

Get Involved

If today’s story has inspired you, we’d encourage you to find out more about all five organisations involved:

• The Ferry Project — homelessness support in Fenland
• The Queen Mary Centre — community space in the heart of Wisbech
• Cambridgeshire ACRE — supporting rural communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• From Me to You — Donate A Letter — reducing isolation for those living with cancer

Together, we can build a world that is a little kinder, and a little less lonely.