• BESOM was started by James Odgers in 1987. James started BESOM from HTB, in London.
He has worked as a solicitor, banker, with Jackie Pullinger in Hong Kong and is now a farmer
in Somerset encouraging self employment amongst the poor in rural communities.
• BESOM aims to provide ‘A bridge between those who want to give and those in need’ with a particular focus on helping and encouraging the giver.
• The 3 key values of BESOM are love, prayer and relationship.
• There are lots of different BESOMs running across the country. In Sheffield, churches involved with BESOM include: The Eccles, St Chads (Woodseats), St Thomas’ (Crookes), St. Thomas’ (Philadelphia).
• BESOM receives referrals from statutory organisations (e.g. Nomad, social services) regarding
people with various needs. These requests are sent to people for prayer, specific requests are
not made known to the wider church to foster dependency on God as provider.
• People in Church contact their BESOM coordinator or the main BESOM office to discuss what
they would like to give. Examples of this might be: good quality furniture items, time as an
individual (prayer, to drive the van, admin, befriending), time as a group (prayer, gardening,
painting projects) or other things that help people to use their individual gifting!
• BESOM helps to link the giver with those in need...God’s Kingdom comes!
For more information see the website at: www.thebesominsheffield.co.uk
Or contact the Besom coordinator at Philadelphia, Pat Jones at: besom@stthomaschurch.org.uk