One of The Genesis Trust’s nine projects, Lifeline Centre, celebrates being established in the city of Bath for 10 years this summer.

To celebrate this milestone, Lifeline Centre hosted a party on Wednesday 28th August for its regular visitors, volunteers and friends during normal Lifeline lunchtime hours. Party guests were welcomed with local Jazz band “French Connection” band which played throughout the afternoon.

Lifeline Centre started in 2003 in response to Gloria, the Lifeline Manager, feeling a need to help the homeless in the city. She has managed the project since the beginning which is affectionately termed “Gloria’s” amongst street people in Bath.

Five areas in Bath including Twerton represent the country’s 20% most deprived areas, according to a JSNA report. Last year Lifeline received over 7000 visits.

Lifeline Centre has been situated in Bath Abbey vaults since October 2012 after it was previously housed by Bath City Church in the basement of The Forum for nine years.

Lifeline Centre has strong links with Bath Abbey as its bookshop already sells Genesis vouchers to the public to enable local rough sleepers to get a meal at one of Genesis’ other food projects or at Julian House’s night shelter. The Genesis Trust is also an active part of Bath Abbey’s Homelessness Initiative and annually contributes project users’ work to their “Think Different” exhibition.

Last week, The Genesis Trust also hosted their Tower Tour event for local businesses and loyal supporters to experience a champagne reception with views across Bath at the top of the Abbey tower and then guests were shown inside Lifeline Centre and met some project users who told their stories of how The Genesis Trust had helped turn their lives around.

Lifeline Centre receives financial support from trust funders such as Cooperative Community Fund, Pret A Manger Foundation and Help the Homeless. Unlike other local organisations, The Genesis Trust does not rely on local authority funding to deliver its work but ensures it can respond effectively to project users on a case by case basis. The Genesis Trust relies on the generosity of individual supporters, local businesses and grant-making trusts to ensure its presence in the city.

Lifeline is also in need of donations of men’s clothing. To donate, please ring our Lifeline Centre on 01225 439384.