Tag Archives: Hill Street Baptist Church

 
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The High Sherriff of Dorset, GeorgeStreatfeild visited our future permanent support facility for Poole’s homeless in October.

We were delighted to play host to Dorset High Sherriff, George Streatfeild and his wife Amanda, showing them the transformation of the former Baptist Church. Mr and Mrs Streatfeild were given a tour of the building where the project’s architect Ken Mason and project manager, R2R Trustee, Kate Mellor talked through the charity’s ambitious plans for the listed building. 

As reigning High Sherriff for Dorset, Mr Streatfeild was made aware of the support that Routes to Roots provides to Poole’s homeless by our Patron, The Right Reverend Karen Gorham, Bishop of Sherborne and was eager to witness first-hand what was happening at the new facility and learn about the charity’s future ambitions.

“It is awe-inspiring and quite humbling to hear Pat’s passion and her determination to transform a rundown building into somewhere safe, warm and welcoming to so many who are struggling in today’s society – and not just because of Covid-19,” said Mr Streatfeild. “She has created an amazing team of volunteers to support her vision and make sure it happens; I cannot wait to see the completed work.”

 
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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.

 
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Routes to Roots featured on the second round of the Aviva Community Fund’s 20202 crowdfunding programme for small charities. We raised £3,000 towards the refurbishment of our Hill Street building.

The Aviva Community Fund supports small charities with forward-thinking ideas across the UK with funding, vital support and resources.

As part of its funding support, Aviva is allocating every single one of its 16,000 UK employees an ‘Employee wallet’ of £60, to be split across each quarter of the programme. Aviva employees can donate their allocation of funds to the participating causes that matter most to them and this is added to funds raised externally on the Crowdfunder platform. 

Jude Brooks, UK Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Aviva, said: “We know that even the smallest charities can have a massive impact in building stronger communities. We are extremely proud to support Routes to Roots and look forward to enabling them to bring their idea to life.” 

 
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Following our acquisition of the former Hill Street Baptist Church, we have embarked on an extensive refurbishment programme to convert the historic building into a permanent base for the town’s homeless and vulnerably housed.  Hailed as ‘A Place for Change’, the Hill Street outreach facility is being fully renovated .

The aim of this important new outreach facility is to help people in Poole who are without permanent accommodation achieve lasting positive change in their lives. Facilities such as showers, toilets, a laundry, hot food, clothing and sleeping bags will be provided in addition to crucial access to outreach workers for addiction and mental health support, nurses, chiropodists, housing and benefit advisors.

“Thanks to some extremely generous grants and fundraising support from our volunteers, local schools, companies and churches, we have made a fantastic start towards reaching our target of £150,000, which means we are all set to start working on this exciting project,” commented Reverend Southgate. “Our first task will be to remove and sell the beautiful antique pitch pine pews to make a central space where clients can relax, feel safe and talk in confidence to outreach teams. We are hoping to raise in the region of £3000 from the sale of the pews, which would help fund the cost of installing our all-important shower facilities.” 

Routes to Roots was recently awarded a grant of £5,000 from The Haddon Trust, a charity that specialises in providing relief for those in poverty and without permanent accommodation. The grant will help fund a new kitchen and the associated white goods and equipment needed to cater for up to 50 clients. 

Local support from Poole’s residents and business community has been very positive and the charity has received full backing for the project from Dorset’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Martyn Underhill, who understands the positive impact that the hub will have both on the vulnerable people being helped and the local community. Under current plans, the Hill Street renovations are due to be completed by late Autumn 2020, subject to the ongoing restrictions imposed due to the Coronavirus crisis.

 
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As a trustee of Routes to Roots, I was very excited about Hill St Baptist Church but at the same time very aware of the huge needs associated with transforming the building to be a Place for Change. I wanted to do something that not only raised money but also actually got the issue into the wider community, rather than simply targeting those who were already supporters of Routes to Roots. I have always thought of Lent as not merely a time of giving up stuff but also giving away to others so I decided this was the perfect time to do some fundraising – little did I know how things were going to change.

I love a good cooked breakfast and I know others do too so I decided to offer this to others, but for donations to Routes to Roots. I set a target of around £300, which would cover the cost of a washing machine for the new building and I set aside three Saturday mornings in March to do this using the Church Centre at St James. I advertised via my own Facebook page and also set up a page for people to give electronically if they couldn’t be there in person. Lots of friends shared this and it was advertised around St James, the wider community, my sea swimming group and also the local Lifeboat Crew. With a team of helpers, we managed to serve over 30 breakfasts on the first Saturday and on the second Saturday, with people heeding the Coronavirus warnings, we were down to around 20. By the third Saturday we were closed down. However, we were overwhelmed with the support we got for these breakfasts. The total amount raised on the two Saturdays was just over £400. I was also very generously given a further £400 from personal donations towards Routes to Roots.  

Coronavirus cut us short, but when we are out of this crisis I intend to open up the Holt Café at St James again for a few more Saturdays. I was overwhelmed with the support I received: the good will towards the cause was evident. It was a simple thing to do but the results were so much more than the money in raising the profile of the new building through our local community. A huge thanks to my willing team of helpers who served, cooked and washed up.  

 
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Routes to Roots is extremely sorry to cancel our planned open afternoon on 15 March to celebrate our acquisition of the former Hill Street Baptist Church. In light of the highly infectious nature of Coronavirus and anticipated advice to avoid large gatherings, we believe we must play our part by not holding an event, which may, however minimal the risk, help spread the virus. In particular, we are concerned about our clients, the homeless and formerly homeless, who are particularly vulnerable members of our community but also take this step to protect our volunteers, supporters and their families.

We will keep a close eye on the situation and re-schedule as soon as we can.

And now the good news: We are pressing ahead, with the help of a pro bono local architect, with building plans and estimates, and busily seeking grants and donations to fund the work which will make the building fit for purpose. We are extremely appreciative of the support we have so far received, which means we can make a start, but there’s still a long way to go and all contributions will be gratefully received. We still hope that we can move into the building this Autumn in time for winter. This WILL become the centre for all help for the homeless and vulnerably housed in Poole.

If you would like to look round the building as an individual or talk to us about our plans, we would love to hear from you. We want everyone to keep on talking about this great new development.


 
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We are delighted to announce that we are well on our way to achieving our dream of establishing a hub for the homeless and vulnerably housed in Poole. 

The charity has purchased the former Hill Street Baptist Church, the Poole town centre building that housed R2R’s first drop-in sessions.

A key action over the last few years has been for R2R to get on a sound financial footing so we could explore every opportunity to find our own space in order to expand our services. We have been able to fund the purchase of the church from our own funds, a donation from Talbot Village Trust and a grant from Help the Homeless. 

Substantial refurbishment is needed to make the premises fit for purpose, before we can move in, hopefully by September 2020. R2R is seeking financial support for essential renovations, which will include more efficient heating, a kitchen, toilets, showers and laundry facilities.

After moving to Hill Street, in the short-term R2R will maintain our existing services and add a weekly Sunday lunch. Looking further ahead, as funding and volunteer support permit, we aim to be open seven days a week and increase the outreach services offered to include financial advice, training and other opportunities to help clients move back into the community – to become a one-stop place of change.

Revd Pat Southgate, Chair and Founder of R2R says: “I am really proud of what all our volunteers and supporters have enabled us to achieve over the years. This is the result of all their faith in us and is a long-held dream come true. We are very grateful to Skinner Street URC for welcoming us for so many years and making us a part of their community. While very excited, this is a tremendous commitment for the charity and we will need all the support that Poole churches, organisations, businesses and individuals can continue to give us to make Hill Street Baptist Church a real Place of Change in Poole.”

Russell Lucas-Rowe, Trustee at Talbot Village Trust, says: “We are very pleased to have helped Routes to Roots expand their reach and services. The work they have been doing helping the rough sleepers for the last 20 years is very valuable to this community. We hope that, thanks to the funding, they will be able to help many more around Poole.”

The Patron of the charity, the Rt Revd Karen Gorham, Bishop of Sherborne comments: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Routes to Roots to take their work to another level and affirms the commitment of the charity in its aims to alleviate homelessness. Further financial help is needed now to fulfil our vision. Please consider giving generously, knowing that every gift will give hope to those most in need of it.”