Tag Archives: Genesis Centre

 
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Poole’s first building solely dedicated to helping the town’s homeless and vulnerably housed opens its doors on 21 March 2022. Genesis Centre on Hill Street is destined to become the hub for all support and help available locally from charities, churches and the local authorities – a one-stop place of change. The building is wholly owned and operated by Routes to Roots, which this month also celebrates its 20thanniversary. 

The Reverend Pat Southgate, chair of R2R Trustees, spoke of her pride in all that the charity’s volunteers and supporters have been able to achieve: “This is a long-held dream come true. Twenty years ago we were able to bring rough sleepers off the streets for a hot meal for just a few hours on a couple of days a week. Now in that very same building, the old Baptist Church, we will be able to offer not only a hot meal but real life-changing support.

“We are extremely grateful to architect Ken Morgan who enabled us to secure both Listed Building Consent and Planning Application Approval in July 2020 and who has now brought us to the point of being able to open our doors. We are also thankful for the confidence shown in our vision by Talbot Village Trust, who not only provided an interest-free loan to enable us to buy the building but who have also contributed substantially to the renovation costs.”

Routes to Roots purchased the building outright in February 2020 – just in time for the country’s first lockdown. Despite this, the charity carried on with its plans for the complete restoration and refurbishment of the Grade II listed building. This was a major undertaking, which would have been impossible without the tremendous support shown both locally and nationally. Under the pro bono guidance of architect Ken Morgan, nine additional local professionals gave their time and expertise pro bono. Over the two years since the purchase, R2R received nearly £212,000 in grants from 18 foundations and trusts. At the move-in the works have cost nearly £270,000. Other money came from local businesses, churches, schools and individuals.

There is still work to be carried out on a second hall and to the outside of the building and the charity says that fundraising is continuing to pay for this. However, this does not impact its ability to run drop-ins and welcome back outreach partnersto provide addiction, mental and physical health support, chiropody, housing and benefit advice. Shower and laundry facilities are available and there are computers for clients’ use.

 
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We were delighted to have a very special visitor in January at Genesis Centre. Routes to Roots was privileged to be one of the first stops on a visit to Poole for the Very Reverend Stephen Lake, following the announcement that morning that he will be the next Bishop of Salisbury. The Bishop Designate, who grew up in Poole, said: “It is such a privilege and a joy to be called back to the Diocese of Salisbury as Bishop. To be able to serve in the places that formed me will be something rare and special. I will enjoy visiting Dorset and Wiltshire today and look forward to meeting as many people as possible on this announcement day.” He was accompanied by our patron the Right Reverend Karen Gorman, Bishop of Sherborne.

 
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Ben Sargent joined us at the beginning of this month in the new role of Genesis Centre Manager. Ben says: “I am delighted to have been appointed as the Day Centre Manager for Routes to Roots. Having worked for many years in housing and addiction services across Bournemouth and Poole, I have always been impressed by the fantastic work that R2R do and the care shown to those in need. With the upcoming move to Genesis Centre, I am truly excited by the opportunities it will enable us to provide to those people who access our service. I look forward to creating a community where people will feel supported, feel heard and have access to the support services they require.” Among other duties, Ben will be managing our volunteer network and is very interested to hear from anyone who might have some hours to help us. In addition to the usual drop-in food preparation work, we have many new opportunities arising from our move, in such areas as office and administrative, writing and fundraising, website and social media. He can be contacted at: Ben.Sargent@routestoroots.org

 
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We have set a date for the formal opening of Genesis Centre – 20 March 2022. This is also the 20th anniversary of the formation of the charity and so will be a double celebration. Delays with plumbing work and the knock-on effect on plastering delayed our move. We are, however, definitely on the final lap with all work to be done on the first phase financially covered. This is very much thanks to Talbot Village Trust who have agreed a further grant of £40,000. We are now seeking funding for phase 2 of the work, which will be on a second hall, which we intend as the hub for healthcare activities, possibly a winter shelter and also other activities to help our clients’ wellbeing and employment prospects.

Click here to make a donation for Routes to Roots, making a difference to the lives of Poole’s homeless and vulnerably housed: https://www.routestoroots.org/charity/donations

 
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Salary: £29,577 – £32,910

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Permanent 

Are you looking for an opportunity where your skills will make a difference in helping to support homeless people and rebuild lives? Or are you looking to take the next step in your career? If this is the case for you then joining the Routes to Roots team will be an opportunity for you to personally develop whilst supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. This is a new role, to manage the work at Routes to Roots’ new Drop In Centre, at the newly renovated Genesis Centre in Hill Street, Poole. 

Download an application form and further information:

Or contact the R2R Office: office@routestoroots.org

Please send your application with covering letter and CV to office@routestoroots.org

Closing date for applications: 10am on 29 October 2021

Interview and assessments in Poole: w/c 8 November 2021

It is a requirement for this post that an enhanced/standard DBS disclosure check will be undertaken for the successful candidate.

 
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Just over two years after completing the purchase of the old Baptist Church on Hill Street, all R2R operations will be based at our newly renovated Genesis Centre from 21st March. We are holding a celebration at the Centre on 20 March to mark our 20 years of operation as a charity and the completion of the first stages of the refurbishment. During the following week we will move ourselves and our clients across town to our new home. Our new operating hours will initially be from 12:00 am to 2:30 pm, Monday – Friday. It is our intention to open longer hours as we recruit more volunteers.

We Are With You, who provide addiction support, will attend our Drop Ins on both Mondays and Thursdays between 1:00 pm and 2:00pm. Chiropody appointments will be offered by Jenny Fowler from Friday 25th March and occur on a monthly basis. In the near future, we will also regularly be joined by partners from St Mungo’s, Victim Support and both Mental and Physical Health Support services.

A generous family in Coventry has donated an entire kitchen to us.
Consulting room for outreach services under construction in the small hall with storage area above, October 2021
Baptistery surround reinstalled in main hall, October 2021
Main Hall, October 2021
Members of the Rotary Club of Poole Bay visit Genesis Centre.

In May 2021 The Clothworkers’ Foundation confirmed that they have awarded us a grant of £35,000 towards the completion of the phase 1 work, which will allow our move-in. The Foundation was set up in 1977 to be the primary vehicle of charitable giving for The Clothworkers’ Company. Since then, they have awarded capital grants of more than £152 million. Today, their primary aim is to improve the lives of people and communities, particularly those facing disadvantage, deprivation and/or discrimination. 

Sean Cooper, (second from right), owner of Weyfish, Hatch on the Harbour and Catch, all based at Weymouth’s historic old fish market, has donated all the panelling we need to reinstate the dado panelling around the main hall. 
Sean commented: “Homelessness is an issue very close to my heart. My mum with 4 young children found herself homeless when I was an infant, and I remember distinctly the kindness and goodwill of friends in providing a roof over our head. I have had the pleasure to know and work with Ken Morgan, the architect who is giving his time to this project, for a number of years and when an opportunity arose to be able to help Ken and Routes to Roots I was only to happy to do so.”

Build-up starts. After all the internal demolition, we have reached the stage of reconfiguring the internal layout. The scaffolding has been taken down and ceiling and lights finished with one more stained glass window to be re-installed. We have decided on an air source heat pump to provide underfloor heating and gas-fired boiler for hot water and are in the process of selecting contractors.

Clients will get online at Hill Street. Andy and Sara Powell at Poole IT are generously donating our IT equipment for free. They will also set up our broadband, wifi, telephone and internet café for clients, and give us on-going support. This new service will be a game-changer for our clients’ employment prospects and we are very grateful to them. Andy says: “Routes to Roots is an amazing opportunity for local business to give support at the very heart of community, We all see people in less fortunate positions that ourselves; therefore to help in a meaningful way by applying our professional skills is the least we can do. Having computers with safeguarding installed, and a safe internet connection will help connect the people in need with resources only available online.”

Geoffrey Morgan, a local organist and Organs Adviser to the United Reformed Church, contacted us to express interest in salvaging some of the pipework and electric blower from the Hill Street organ for use in other organs. We were delighted to accommodate his request, since the organ had been unusable for many years following a fire. Geoffrey also informed us that the organ case dates from the nineteenth century, had previously been installed in the former St. Paul’s Church in Poole, and hence is of historic interest to the Borough of Poole. Geoffrey offered his time to help with the dismantling of the organ and cleaned the console and brass plaque – we could not have managed such a successful dismantling without his help. We are keeping the front of the organ case, which is now at the back of the organ loft, fixed to the wall, so it can be appreciated by everyone who visits the building.

Our latest pro bono professional stonemason Sarah Klopper works at Salisbury Cathedral. As part of our Listed Building consent we are required to safeguard features of special architectural and historic interest, and Sarah will repair and relocate the memorial stones and carved stone signage currently located in the alleyway.Sarah says: “I’m looking forward to working on this project. There are so many buildings like this in the UK that are just crying out to be lovingly restored and what better way to do that than to support the homeless community.”

Work started in September and all the internal demolition is now complete: scaffolding is up; the suspended ceiling is down; the pews are out; and wiring for the lighting is in.We have received two further grants to help with our refurbishment from The Beatrice Laing Trust and JP Morgan.

Amanda Brint-Smee of Certa Services in Poole has joined our team of pro bono professionals. Amanda’s involvement in this project is to help guide the management team through the health and safety requirements under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. She will be there to ensure that the highest possible level of health and safety is provided to ensure that all workers, staff and visitors are kept safe during this development project. She will be on hand to provide documentation and advice wherever necessary. Amanda says: “The project is a very exciting one and the building that is to be used is ideally located, with the space helping to provide more help to people that are homeless or find themselves in vulnerable positions.”

Pro Bono Lighting Designer

Sherborne-based lighting designer John Bullock has offered his services free following an introduction by our architect Ken Morgan. John will not only do the lighting design for us but is also hoping to source good quality fixtures through his industry contacts and the on-line magazine he publishes for the UK lighting industry. John says: “One of the enduring fallacies that we hear constantly is ‘we’re all in this together’, when – of course – we certainly do not all experience life equally. We are NOT all in this together. Initiatives like Routes to Roots help to bridge an inequality gap that we all should be ashamed of and I’m happy to be able to provide my knowledge to the success of this project.”

Planning permission and listed building consent has been granted by BCP Council.

In July we heard that we are to receive a grant for £5000 from the Salisbury Diocesan Social Welfare Fund and two cheques arrived for £1000 from individual supporters. We are grateful for this support.

Pro Bono Surveyor

In June MC Plan and Site Services offered to do the building control for our building pro bono! Helen Cook says: “We are delighted to support your project in regards to a building control application at no cost to the charity. As a company we are very passionate about supporting local charities such as yourselves and will assign a surveyor to follow the project through from beginning to end. For us in Poole this is also something very close to our hearts, an extremely valuable cause in what your charity is trying to do for homelessness in Poole.”

Furniture and Office Equipment Donated

Albion Language Tour Company has donated office furniture and equipment including a full-size Xerox copier with scanner, folder and staple functions, 12 tables, some 40 chairs, filing cabinets and shelving. Manager Janet Wright says: “As we cannot accept our German students in the current crisis, we have given up our premises in favour of operating from home. We are happy to donate everything to your wonderful charity.”

Pro Bono Architect

Words from our pro bono architect Ken Morgan RIBA: “Thanks for inviting me to get involved with R2R in converting the Hill Street Chapel as a base/hub for Poole’s homeless community. It is an extremely worthwhile cause and one in which I have some personal interest.”

Pews to be Removed

Our new home is Grade 2 listed but in May we received permission to remove the pews, which has sparked lots of local interest. A local organist has also been in touch to ask for any parts of the old organ which he may be able to put to good use elsewhere. A request we are happy to grant.