For more than 30 years, the Society of St James has been offering housing, care and support for the hundreds of homeless and vulnerably housed people of Southampton. Providing a roof over their heads is just part of the charity's service. With so many of these marginalised people also having to deal with problems such as unemployment, family breakdown, mental illness or alcohol and drug misuse, help in rebuilding their lives is also an essential part of the Society's work.
At St Mary's Church in the city centre, the Society of St James operates the Soup Run, offering food, clothing, blankets and advice to people 365 days a year. It also has a hostel, providing emergency accommodation. "We are finding that a growing number who are referred to our hostel have found themselves homeless through relationship breakdowns or financial issues, including many young people and, increasingly, women," explains director of the Society of St James, Trevor Pickup. But with people sleeping rough every night in Southampton, demand outstrips supply and a number of homeless people are turned away each night due to lack of beds.
During their time at the hostel, residents are helped to access longer-term accommodation. If there is room, they may be transferred to one of the charity's 13 Move-On Houses. When they feel equipped to cope on their own, the charity may be able to offer them one of its 70 self-contained flats, where staff are on hand to help out if needed. "Many of our longer-term projects are unique in the area, catering for homeless people who require higher levels of support to help them become more independent, for instance those with learning disabilities," says Trevor.
The Society of St James' invaluable work in Southampton has been recognised by South West Trains, which recently donated £2,400 to the charity. "This generous donation will enable us to convert a disused office in the hostel into another much-needed bedroom, allowing us to help an additional 20 people each year," says Trevor.
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