Project for Women reports a successful year and funding for extra 7 beds

Church Army’s , the UK’s first day centre dedicated to homeless women, and the only one of its kind in London, has published its annual report. This unique two-hostel project with an aim of resettlement reported on a “busy and productive year” and highlighted a concern about meeting the growing demand on its services. This year the annual report told the personal stories of 5 women who have been helped by the project over the past year showing the success the project has had in turning round the lives of those in desperate circumstances, and helping them find a more positive focus to help rebuild their lives.

The project currently accommodates 104 women - with an average length of stay of 13 months and around 45% of the women who have contact with the centre are now in regular educational activities thanks to a partnership with Westminster Adult Education Services now in its fourth year. On Monday of this week the Portman House Trust Board, who oversee the project, granted funding for 7 new bedrooms with work due to be completed on this by next April.

Edwin Bates, Church Army’s Homeless Projects Co-ordinator and Church Army Board Member, stresses that the project will have many challenges to face during the coming year to maintain and improve a highly professional service that is focussed on “sharing faith through words and action”. Bates adds: “Improvement in our relationships and networking with other registered social landlords will be essential if we are to continue to reduce the length of time residents stay with us, whilst increasing the number of women with whom we have contact. Resettlement of women who have been institutionalised continues to be a problem, more so under the Supporting People Initiative. Organisations have become reluctant to take on longer term support referrals. We may need to consider creating a unit to accommodate such women or find an agency that will. “

Church Army has pioneered work with Homeless Women since 1891 and the women’s day centre was opened by HRH Princess Margaret in 1996. The project is unique in that it has a distinctly spiritual dimension with “exploring your faith groups” around the themes of Christmas and Easter and bible study sessions available for residents to drop into during lent and Advent. The project, which is reliant on donations from churches, individuals and trusts provides all its services free of charge to the most marginalised and vulnerable women through a needs led philosophy of operation in line with its Christian ethos.

Over 700 women each year access the services of the project and many women come with complex and multiple needs not always just related to their homelessness, but often inter-linked with experiences of abuse and exploitation which lead to a fragmented and chaotic lifestyle. Carol Jones hostel Manager comments: “ It is important that we offer a new experience for women - an environment in which they feel safe and supported.”

Lydia Gladwin, Chair of the Portman House Trust Board of Management and Marylebone Project Liaison Group comments: “My task is to ensure that this project stays firmly focussed on meeting the needs of the local community. We work hard to share both a personal and practical interest in the care and needs of residents and users and we are delighted that so much progress has been made in the project this year. Our only concern is that the project is so popular it is having to turn away between 40-50 women each month due to capacity issues. Even with the extra 7 beds that we have approved this week we will struggle to meet the demands placed on the project”

The project is supported by seven charitable trusts, numerous companies and business, local schools, scouts and brownie groups and 30 churches from the local area to as far as Worthing and Sandhurst.

The Marylebone Project is based at 1-5 Cosway St and Bell St, London NW1 5NR and can be contacted on 020 7262 3818