Andy Palfreyman was street homeless for 30 years after he left his parental home in Cheshire at the age of 19. He slept mostly in the streets of London in various postcodes. Life changed in 2015 after a chance conversation with an artist who had an exhibition next to the Swiss Church, where he used to come for weekly breakfast. That’s how he got his first camera and the necessary support for his artistic work.

“Photography is a way of expressing myself and how I see the world. Until 2015 I had no idea I had any artistic talent and I didn’t believe in myself. I had very little self-worth, hence 30 years on the streets. Photography empowers me and hopefully is going to raise awareness for homelessness. This is what it’s about for me.”

Andy held his first exhibition ‘Cardboard and Caviar’ at the Swiss Church in London in December 2015 showing some of the doorways that became home. The exhibition was a great success with exposure in the Evening Standard, BBC London News and Buzzfeed. In 2017 the exhibition was also shown in Zurich, Switzerland.

Andy describes the content of his second photography exhibition: “When you are street homeless you tend to look down and notice things most of the general public don’t see. It strikes a chord with me, why it’s there, how it got there, and I photograph it. It feels like I’m the only person who sees it. Some of these things can be upsetting, but I see it from a homeless person’s point of view. When I see these things I can personally relate to them. For example in Shaftesbury Avenue there is a broken spanner pressed into the tarmac and I bet no one else can see it but me. It reminds me how homeless people are pushed down and become invisible. Once a homeless guy walked past me, it just started to rain, and he left footprints on the wet pavement. I call this photograph The Invisible Homeless.”

Andy Palfreyman was street homeless for 30 years after he left his parental home in Cheshire at the age of 19. He slept mostly in the streets of London in various postcodes. Life changed in 2015 after a chance conversation with an artist who had an exhibition next to the Swiss Church, where he used to come for weekly breakfast. That’s how he got his first camera and the necessary support for his artistic work.

“Photography is a way of expressing myself and how I see the world. Until 2015 I had no idea I had any artistic talent and I didn’t believe in myself. I had very little self-worth, hence 30 years on the streets. Photography empowers me and hopefully is going to raise awareness for homelessness. This is what it’s about for me.”

Andy held his first exhibition ‘Cardboard and Caviar’ at the Swiss Church in London in December 2015 showing some of the doorways that became home. The exhibition was a great success with exposure in the Evening Standard, BBC London News and Buzzfeed. In 2017 the exhibition was also shown in Zurich, Switzerland.

Andy describes the content of his second photography exhibition: “When you are street homeless you tend to look down and notice things most of the general public don’t see. It strikes a chord with me, why it’s there, how it got there, and I photograph it. It feels like I’m the only person who sees it. Some of these things can be upsetting, but I see it from a homeless person’s point of view. When I see these things I can personally relate to them. For example in Shaftesbury Avenue there is a broken spanner pressed into the tarmac and I bet no one else can see it but me. It reminds me how homeless people are pushed down and become invisible. Once a homeless guy walked past me, it just started to rain, and he left footprints on the wet pavement. I call this photograph The Invisible Homeless.”

Sunday Services are held at the Swiss Church in 79 Endell Street every  third Sunday of the month.

On the first Sunday of the month the Service is with communion. Everyone is invited to join. 

The sermons are in English, the hymns and the liturgy are also in German and French. 

A meal or light refreshments are served after the service. 

The Swiss Church in London is rooted in the Reformed tradition but people from all denominations, faith groups or none, are welcome.

Our Sunday Services  with Communion are held at the Swiss Church in 79 Endell Street on the first Sunday of the month.  Everyone is invited to join in Communion if they wish.

The sermons are in English.  The hymns and the liturgy are also in  English, French and German.

Hymns are played by Peter Yardley-Jones on our wonderful Swiss Späth organ, accompanied by the High Holborn Chamber Choir.

A meal or light refreshments are served after the service. Please stay and experience a warm welcome from a friendly Congregation of all ages.

The Swiss Church in London is rooted in the Reformed tradition.  People from all denominations, faith groups, and none, are welcome.

Breakfast on the Steps is an important part of the week at the Swiss Church. It is a time when we serve our community and welcome people into the church by serving food and offering fellowship. We make an effort to be present and spend time with the people who come along. It is always a joy to see the variety of people who come to join our community activities. 

We gratefully accept donations of winter footwear and warm clothing, to pass onto our guests when they need them. 

If you would like to volunteer, we would love that!

Get in touch with Josh: josh.kelly@swisschurchlondon.org.uk

Breakfast on the Steps is an important part of the week at the Swiss Church. It is a time when we serve our community and welcome people into the church by serving food and offering fellowship. We make an effort to be present and spend time with the people who come along. It is always a joy to see the variety of people who come to join our community activities. 

We gratefully accept donations of winter footwear and warm clothing, to pass onto our guests when they need them. 

If you would like to volunteer, we would love that!

Get in touch with Josh: josh.kelly@swisschurchlondon.org.uk

6CH, Konrad Smoleński 

The 6CH oscillates around the visual art and sound and proposes a radical approach to this fusion. It’s a 6 channel, site specific, missive audio installation built in a spatially and visually minimalistic way. The primary element of communication in 6CH is the physicality of the sound wave and, consequently, it’s direct contact with the recipient. The resulting haptic sound sculpture focuses on the three-dimensionality of sound as abstract and ephemeral matter. Visually minimal, reduced to a few objects - towers built from loudspeakers, concert sound system and freely scattered audio cables, the installation relies on daylight (most of the time taking place after dusk), thus not providing much of a visual experience. However, this visual character is balanced by the weight and richness of the sound layer. 

30 minute long piece will repeat in a loop all day. The viewer in invited to move inside this "sound sculpture" and by this movement he/she experiences a different configuration of sounds - his/her perception of work is constantly changing. The recipient's activity translates into the final shape of the work - the final mix of the emitted song is made using a ‘moving pair of ears’. The spatiality of this and other Konrad realizations is possible to experience only during the exhibition / activity and escapes the possibility of documentation. The 6CH is designed especially for the Swiss Church and commissioned by JEMP festival.

Breakfast on the Steps is an important part of the week at the Swiss Church. It is a time when we serve our community and welcome people into the church by serving food and offering fellowship. We make an effort to be present and spend time with the people who come along. It is always a joy to see the variety of people who come to join our community activities. 

We gratefully accept donations of winter footwear and warm clothing, to pass onto our guests when they need them. 

If you would like to volunteer, we would love that!

Get in touch with Josh: josh.kelly@swisschurchlondon.org.uk

Contact:
Lisa Hall

E-mail:lisa.moerschwil@gmail.com