From Pew to Bed in King's Lynn

During October 2015 I was praying and asked the Lord for something to do that, with the skills He had given me, would be of Kingdom value. His answer was wait. Then at Christmas Kat Taylor came to our church (Riverway Fellowship, West Kirby) and spoke about how the Lord had blessed the work at the Foodbank in King’s Lynn. I felt the Lord say to me go and offer to make furniture, specifically beds, for the work in King’s Lynn. This I did and Kat’s response was: “We have so many homeless people in King’s Lynn for whom we can provide accommodation but no furniture!” So I was called to make beds for the homeless in King’s Lynn.

As I know Mike Rushton (URC Synod Property Officer) he informed me that Upton URC had closed and that pews were available there. Mike met with the Upton Elders on the Monday directly after the King’s Lynn testimony had been given. They gave me half (12) of the pews and the remains of the organ to be used for beds. This was a wonderful provision of wood. The Lord knows every detail and, as the pew seats were 36mm thick, they were ideal for the beds I was making. Also, as the church is closed space was made available for; storage of timber from the deconstructed organ and pews, construction and finishing of beds and storage of the completed beds. Thank you Lord for these resources and for those who helped with the organ deconstruction and recycling of materials.

I have been greatly blessed by this project and the guidance that the Lord has given me throughout down to every last detail. From concept through jig manufacture to polishing and final pick-up and delivery, the Lord’s guidance was there.

The beds are designed and constructed as small single in size, fitted with slats and able to stack one on another. All the frames are of pitch pine and most of the slats are of yellow pine. One main challenge was to use the small pieces from the pews. This was achieved by glue lamination so there was minimum wastage from the timber provided.

So far 5 beds have been constructed, delivered to King’s Lynn and are shown below. I anticipate that about 30 beds will be able to be constructed from the timber available. In addition some bunk beds will also be made building on the single bed design.

From starting material to the first person to receive one of the beds

Feedback from King’s Lynn Foodbank

Ron Hilditch has been making beds out of old church pews for King’s Lynn Foodbank.

When Kat Taylor visited her home church in West Kirby at the end of last year, she spoke about the needs within King’s Lynn through her work as the Project Manager at King’s Lynn Foodbank.

Her clients are often in need of other things apart from the food, some needing other basic needs such as having a bed to sleep in, even though they had a roof over their heads. Her prayer was that God would answer these needs so that King’s Lynn Foodbank could help with more than food within her community.

When Ron Hilditch heard about this, he wanted to help. Ron went into action and asked a local Church if they would donate some of their old wooden pews so that he could make them into beds for the King’s Lynn Foodbank.

Ron designed and manufactured these single beds in his spare time and has lovingly put them together.

King’s Lynn Foodbank are delivering the first bed this week to a family who has needed food parcels to make ends meet and now in need of a bed as their child has grown out of his cot. The Father said ‘we can’t express our thanks for the help given to him and his family’.

Kat Taylor said ‘Ron’s kindness is such a blessing and an answer to prayer for us here in King’s Lynn. Thank you Ron’.

Kat Taylor
Foodbank Project Co-ordinator

King’s Lynn Foodbank
Registered Charity in England & Wales (1151936)
British Red Cross Building, Austin Fields, King’s Lynn PE30 1PH
Tel: 07582558143 or 01553 762659
www.kingslynn.foodbank.org.uk

Restoring dignity and reviving hope in Kings Lynn and surrounding areas.