Hello there,

In our day to day operations we see up to 50 people through our service, accessing support for mental health and childhood trauma, as well as some just needing a shower and some breakfast and conversation.

If you would like to make a donation to support us, no matter how big or small it’s always appreciated. With any donations received we ensure every dollar goes directly to the people we support in our community. This would include helping to supply a hot breakfast, coffees, toiletries or a pair of socks to keep someone warm.

If you wish to do so the details are

Male Room 2021 Trust
03-0703-0065230-000

Thank you from the Male Room team.

Marylands School abuse: How a tiny religious order in Christchurch became an outsized scandal

Abuse of children at Marylands School in Christchurch was so rife it was described as a state-supported, church-run brothel for paedophiles. But so far the spotlight has focused on a handful of individual abusers. An inquiry this week tried to find out how deep the rot went.

Alan Nixon nearly had to burn a church down to get noticed.

After Nixon racked up 400 convictions including arson, vandalism and burglary, his lawyer eventually asked him why he had targeted church buildings.

Nixon told a story he had already told many times: He had been sexually and physically abused at a Catholic school, Marylands, in the 1970s. Any building with a steeple reminded him of the school in Halswell, Christchurch, which he attended from age 8 to 14.

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