Wherever you are during the pandemic, you’re invited to join the Friends of the Connection over the next two weeks in the country’s favourite Virtual Pub Quiz, courtesy of its fantastic host, Jay Flynn. The quiz will be held at 8:15pm on Thursday 21 May, Saturday 23 May, Thursday 28 May and Saturday 30 May and each quiz lasts about an hour.
You may have read about Jay and the Virtual Pub Quiz in the Sunday Times recently. Eleven years ago, Jay was a client of the Connection. The Connection helped him get his confidence back, get back to work and get off the streets. You can read more about Jay here.
It started off as a quiz between mates, but now poses questions to over 180,000 people each week and since the start of lockdown in March, the virtual star has raised an incredible £400,000 for charity!
The Connection is very excited to announce that the next two weeks of Jay’s Virtual Pub Quiz will be raising money for The Connection at St Martin’s.
If you’d like to find out more about and take part in Jay’s quiz, please visit here.
When The Connection at St Martin’s first knew Jay eleven years ago, life was quite different for the Virtual Pub Quiz host. We first met Jay when one of our outreach workers left a card under his head where he slept on the streets of London.
The Connection is there for people when things in their lives have gone profoundly wrong, and there is nowhere else to turn. For Jay, after the death of his grandfather – his father-figure – when he was a teenager, he found making decisions about jobs and education difficult. Eventually, after a job that didn’t work out and a relationship breakdown, he found himself sofa-surfing and then sleeping rough. After sleeping on the streets for two years, Jay came to The Connection’s night centre. He then got into a hostel before getting a room in a shared house.
The Connection believes everyone, no matter their situation, has their own unique talents and strengths. Working with people to improve their wellbeing, learn new skills and increase their confidence – as well as providing practical support – is the best way to help people in the long-term. It was through weekly football sessions, art groups and mental health support, that Jay built his confidence and started getting control of his life again – working in hospitality and pubs and eventually becoming a pub landlord!
Jay now lives in Lancashire with his wife and child and is supporting others as he connects with thousands of others across the world virtually.
The Connection is so grateful for Jay’s support, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the Connection works around the clock to help secure suitable accommodation for rough sleepers to help them to self-isolate and stay safe and well. To date, over 350 people in Westminster have been helped into hotels. The Connection is also preparing and delivering three meals a day, and delivering essentials like medication and toiletries.