Our Lifeline drop-in centre hosted 8,000 visits last year; providing basic resources such as food, drink and clothing, as well as advice and long-term support.

This year we have been keeping super busy expanding the facilities that we offer to our visitors. Over the winter months we have been opening Lifeline on a Saturday morning, offering a hot breakfast and a warm refuge away from the streets at a time when most other organisations are shut.

“It has provided a very different kind of space because the staff, volunteers and visitors are all sitting down to eat together – this breaks down any barriers and means we are shaping a community of equals” – Caleb, Manager of Lifeline.

With the generous help of the Aviva Community Fund we have also recently had a shower fitted, and a washing machine and dryer installed specifically for rough sleepers – our visitors can now access a hot wash and clean their clothes in peace.

One homeless man who helped us install them talks about the big difference it’s made to his life – “Now we can wash every day virtually. It makes us healthier, we don’t feel so dirty. Before we would shower at the train station but it was always really busy there, and after so many people had used it the water would go cold. This is horrible in winter. Now we can get a hot shower. I would wash my clothes in the river before. Now I can use the washing machine and actually dry them too”.

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