Tag Archives: homeless

Centenary Firm Donates 100 Wash Kits

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 5, 2015 | accountancy firm, centenary celebration, homeless, Princecroft Willis, Routes to Roots, wash kits

Homeless people received their own wash kit this Christmas thanks to the generosity of long-established accountancy firm, Princecroft Willis (PcW), which celebrated its centenary this year.
PcW donated 100 wash kits to Routes To Roots for our clients. The wash kits include a hand towel, comb, roll-on deodorant, soap, toothpaste and a toothbrush.
Nick Love, PcW’s Charity Director (pictured right), said: “Routes to Roots sums up what Christmas should be all about by helping those who are not able to enjoy the festive season with a permanent roof over their head. We’re pleased to play our small part in making their Christmas a little easier.”
Neil Robertson, R2R’s Projects Coordinator (pictured left), said: “This is a very generous gesture and we’re very grateful to Princecroft Willis. The wash kits contain all the items many consider as essentials but to our clients are regarded as luxuries.”

The Daily Echo featured this story on 28 December:
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/11688264.Wash_kits_donated_to_the_homeless_this_Christmas__thanks_to_accountants/>

Thinking of you this Christmas time…

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 5, 2015 | Christmas card, homeless, Routes to Roots

With love from Sapphire

Dear Sir, Here’s a card made by my daughter Sapphire, because she was thinking of the homeless at Christmas. I know it is too late for a Christmas card, but please could you pop it on to one of the people you’re helping, just to let them know that she cares about them.

Dorset PCC Meets R2R Clients

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on December 1, 2014 | Dorset, homeless, Martyn Underhill, Police and Crime Commissioner, R2R, Routes to Roots, Routes to Roots (Poole) CIO

“Your vital input to the lives of homeless people is inspirational, and offers them the prospect of hope and a brighter future.” Words from Martyn Underhill, Police and Crime Commissioner for the Dorset Police force area, following a recent visit to talk with clients and volunteers at Routes to Roots. Rough sleepers is an issue close to Martyn’s heart and he has since visited The Big Issue and the wet house in Bournemouth. He has expressed a wish to return to spend more time with our guys at a Drop-In.

The Rucksack Project Comes to Poole

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on December 19, 2013 | homeless, Routes to Roots (Poole) CIO, Rucksack Project

Many thanks to all who participated in the Rucksack Project in Poole and surrounding area for the incredible number donated to us in December.

The Rucksack Project is not a charitable organisation, but a worldwide movement born out of a simple idea to help those sleeping rough on the streets during the freezing winter months.

Anyone can help because the project is not about one person trying to do a lot, but about many each just doing a little to make a big difference in the world. The idea is an incredibly simple one: Go to charity shops, get a rucksack, sleeping bag, flask (fill with hot soup), spoon, gloves, hat, fleece, undies, socks and extra food, take it out and give it to a homeless person – or organisation helping the homeless. http://rucksackproject.org/

In March 2014 the pupils of St Mary’s Primary School Swanage were inspired by the Rucksack Project to deliver a pile of donations for our clients.

Snippets from R2R Team Diary

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on August 30, 2013 | homeless, Poole, R2R, Routes to Roots, Routes to Roots (Poole) CIO

August 2014
• An average of 4 clients are taking part every week in a cooking project started with No 34 Café – with 9 individuals in total having a go.
• Met the Footprints Project, which mentors people leaving prison or serving a community sentence, to discuss possible joint projects.
• Agreed a ‘taster’ session with Dorset Wildlife Trust for October, with a view to starting a project focused on a dedicated area of Upton Heath involving up to 12 of our clients.
• Discussed the possibility of a Forest School for up to 10 of our clients in partnership with Footprints/Quay Foyer.
• Supported St Mary’s Longfleet with a client who was sleeping in the churchyard.
• Assisted numerous clients in the office with phone calls, appointments and housing issues.
• Accompanied client to appointments with SMART and PACT.
• Received and sorted numerous donations of clothing and assorted household items for our clients’ use or to go to Cash4Clothes.
• Assisted clients with doctor’s appointments and telephone calls to doctors.
• Assisted clients with benefits issues including JSA and ESA claims, liaison with DWP, transfer to ESA and telephone calls to the Council.
• Liaised with a landlord, supported a client to a housing interview and assisted with a return to accommodation.
• Helped a client with a job interview.
• Liaised with CRI over the death of a client.

July 2014
• Discussed new projects at Holton Lee, such as doing bush craft etc.
• Explored how we can work more closely with Quay Foyer to help people keep their housing, possible joint projects etc.
• Visited Bournemouth and Poole College to investigate possibilities of their students helping with projects and access to basic courses for our clients.
• Confirmed Route 34 cooking pilot project to take place in August.
• Assisted client with housing issues.
• Assisted client with ESA issues in liaison with Diverse Abilities Plus.
• Assisted client with mental health issues including calls to crisis team, hospital attendance and support.
• Helped client with transportation for self and property in move to new location.
• Assisted client with letters for Police and landlord re stalking.
• Enrolled new clients at Holton Lee Project.

June 2014
• Made a presentation on R2R at the Salisbury Deanery Synod meeting.
• Spoke with a potential partner about a new food/catering project.
• Arranged transportation and introductions for new clients participating in Holton Lee Project Flourish.
• Successfully supported a client in an application for a place at Quay Foyer, which provides accommodation, personal support and access to training and employment opportunities for young people.
• Successfully supported a client in obtaining backdated Housing Benefit from Poole Council.
• Arranged on-going, one-to-one counselling sessions for two clients.
• Assisted a client with the paperwork for claiming Employment Support Allowance.
• Met the Bishop of Sherborne, who agreed to become our first patron.
• Attended a Poverty Summit at Bournemouth University.
• Liaised with Bournemouth and Poole Rough Sleepers Team about various clients.

May 2014
• Assisted numerous clients with phone calls for appointments with agencies, landlords, doctors, etc.
• Continued to provide clients with clothing, toiletries and other necessities
• Provided clients who have been found accommodation with move-in packs
• Liaised with landlord about accommodation which is becoming available
• Advised Soup Runs and Poole Citizens Advice Bureau of CRI day centre locations and times for rough sleepers
• Involved in initial discussions with Counsellor Sarah Templeton for assistance with Dialogue and with one-to-one sessions for clients at Afternoon Drop-Ins
• Attended Poole Clothing Bank Project meeting
• Held meetings with Sign It!, who work in partnership with Access to Work, DWP & Job Centre Plus, for possible collaboration on work placements for clients
• Liaised with Holton Lee about new clients wanting to participate in Project Flourish.
• Following a request from Poole Council Housing Services Manager, two R2R housed clients engaged in role play with housing officers on a training course

April 2014
• Facilitated clients’ access to mail that is delivered to the Routes to Roots Skinner St address for them
• Supplied donated items to a client to help with setting-up in newly acquired rental accommodation
• Supplied clothing and other necessities to clients in need
• Provided information to a client about access to the Food Bank
• Assisted clients with personal and health problems
• Held discussions with volunteers from Exeter Drugs Project which works with people across Devon and in Dorset affected by drug and alcohol problems
• Attended two Poole Core Group Meetings at Poole Council to review our top ten clients and actions
• Arranged with PC Simon Young to set up new Dialogue sessions at the Afternoon Drop-Ins

March 2014
• Funded a return train ticket for a client to take his exams in CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) in Tottenham, London
• Took a client to Poole Council about housing
• Liaison with CRI to ensure smooth handover of Poole early morning outreach services to rough sleepers
• Meeting with Christian Entrepreneurs
• Received notice of the death of one of our clients
• Discussions with SMART (Substance Misuse Assessment and Referral Team) about attendances at R2R Drop-Ins
• Attended JSA Claimant Commitment workshop at Poole Council

February 2014
• Assessed five new clients in just five days.
• Two Saints, who have a supported lodgings service in Poole, which helps householders to support vulnerable people in their community, visited the R2R office to see how we operate.
• Attended a Core Group meeting at Poole Council.
• Supported a client at a Job Centre interview.
• Attended a meeting at Parkstone URC about a proposed Clothing Voucher Scheme.
• Poole Addictions Community Team (PACT) visited to find out more about R2R and our activities.
• Helped a new resident into E-bed accommodation.
• After four months of trying to engage with a rough sleeper in the Ashley Cross area, they finally came to the office for help.
• The Kings Head on Poole High Street covered our Cooked Breakfast provision for four days when The Fisherman Café closed.
• Met CRI, the new providers of outreach services in Poole from April, to discuss handover and their plans.

January 2014
• Supported client towards getting a birth certificate.
• Supported three clients at Job Centre appointments.
• Supported client to a doctor’s appointment.
• Supported client with a police interview.
• Working alongside his social worker, helped client to bid on properties that he should be accepted on.
• Assessed nine new clients and developed support plans for them.
• Liaised with Diverse Abilities to accompany and stay with client at a meeting for his DLA claim completion.
• Met client to finalise his DLA claim and to assist with ESA missed appointment issue.
• Supported client with a Community Mental Health Team appointment.

December 2013
• Called ambulance for client when she fell on the path following R2R afternoon drop-in. Taken to A&E where she discharged herself.
• Helped client at DLA Tribunal where he was reinstated and higher payment was recommended.
• First winter breakfast vouchers issued for Fisherman Café.
• Supported client to reinstate Job Seekers Allowance and Housing Benefit and liaised with landlady to sustain the tenancy.
• Attended Poole Town Network Forum with Healthwatch Dorset, who are now attending drop-ins.
• Teen Challenge rep attended afternoon drop-ins to help individual clients with drug or alcohol issues.
• Community Mental Health Nurse attended afternoon drop-in to help those with mental health issues.
• Holton Lee client volunteer gained job interview.
• Client prepared a pasta soup and a pear and apple crumble with custard for drop-in attendees.
• Liaised with Highways Enforcement Officer, Anti Social Behaviour Team and Local Councillor to enable homeless client sleeping in a tent to be allowed to remain there rather than being moved on, until he moves into permanent accommodation in January.
• Liaised with various people offering rucksacks and warm clothing, Christmas gifts etc.

November 2013
• Joined clients in edging and digging on our second Holton Lee allotment.
• Shopped and prepared veggies for a Tuesday Evening Drop-In where a client then cooked cottage pie for 30.
• Helped at Afternoon Drop-Ins where a client made crumble twice and a savoury tuna bake for 30.
• Supported a client with JSA suspension, liaising with the landlady to enable tenancy to continue during resulting suspension of housing benefit.
• Supported client with Disability Wessex to ESA tribunal, which was adjourned for further mental health evidence to be gathered.
• Participated in Annual Government Street Count in Poole.
• Meeting with South West Regional Manager for Homeless Link (membership body for organisations and individuals working with homeless people around England).
• Meeting with Teen Challenge, which helps people trapped by addiction and other life controlling problems such as drugs and alcohol, with a view to their participating at Afternoon Drop-Ins.

October 2013
• Supported client in interview with Disability Wessex who are now helping him with his appeal for Employment Support Allowance to be continued.
• Supported two new client volunteers to join Project Flourish at Holton Lee.
• Arranged a second allotment plot at Holton Lee, adjoining our existing plot, in which our three allotment client volunteers intend to plant fruit bushes and flowers.
• Held a team meeting at St Pauls with Care First counsellors following a client’s recent death and supported his family members.
• Successfully moved a male client into accommodation with low support.
• Added a number of new clients to our books and completed 4 client support plans.
• Made 6 visits to the Council regarding housing advice.
• We were needed to identify the body of a homeless person, well known to us, who sadly had passed away
• Attended Halifax Poole Family Fun Day (dressed as a pirate to support their theme) to raise awareness and money for Routes to Roots. • Attended Bournemouth Marathon to collect clothes (for our clients and resale) left by the runners at the start pens.

September 2013
• Registered and supported female client to GP evening appointment
• Housed client using a grant from Borough of Poole Discretionary Fund
• Delighted to say that client has found employment and placed a holding deposit on a room
• Assessed three new clients
• Sadly learned that a street homeless client has passed away and we are now liaising with family over the funeral
• Signed up a new client volunteer for Project Flourish at Holton Lee
• Liaised with HMP Hewell for homeless lady whose partner is charged and detained there
• Helped to clear the flat of another recently deceased client with his resettlement officer

Homeless and Newly Housed Volunteer at Holton Lee

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on July 1, 2013 | Holton Lee, homeless, Rotary Club. Rotary Club of Poole Bay, Routes to Roots, Routes to Roots (Poole) CIO

In June 2013, The Rotary Club of Poole Bay donated £150 towards Routes to Roots’ outdoor programme for the homeless and newly housed at Holton Lee.

Don Nutt (far right), Rotary Club of Poole Bay, presents a cheque and looks through photographs of the work being done at Holton Lee.

As a result of R2R’s initial work with Holton Lee in 2012, 6-8 of Routes to Roots’s clients have been included in Project Flourish, established in January 2013 by Holton Lee to engage with disadvantaged people. The guys start the day with a talk on wellbeing and discussion on what they will do during the day, which may include ground clearance, creating raised beds, craft woodworking, outdoor furniture building, designs and layouts for garden features. Each day ends with a feedback session where the participants discuss how they are getting on and how they feel about the work.

The actual work undertaken by R2R clients benefits other users of Holton Lee and is also a lasting testament to the effort they have put in.

“The guys really benefit from the experience, finding it a time to relax (despite the hard work) and put aside the day-to-day greyness and sameness of their lives”, says Gabi Sanger-Stevens, Management Services for Routes to Roots. “Joining with other disadvantaged people in undertaking these activities has helped our clients to build on their team working and social skills as well as developing land-craft and horticultural skills, all of which improves their CVs. Our Outreach and Support Coordinator has received training for the supervision of AQAs (accredited training modules) for clients and we are working to include AQAs as part of this activity to add to the guys’ paid employment prospects.”

Recognising that more activities which promote a positive use of time are extremely beneficial, particularly for those completing the Flourish project, Holton Lee has agreed to grant Routes to Roots a piece of land for its own use. Clients on the Routes to Roots plot will be able to create, plant, grow and harvest, with horticultural assistance from the Holton Lee staff as well as R2R volunteers. This will be a long-term project, which will provide opportunities for engagement for many years to come.

Don Nutt, Rotary Club of Poole Bay, comments: “I first came across Routes to Roots when facilitating the Poole Town Faith Trail with Churches Together, Dorset in 2011. Then earlier this year we got a call from another Rotarian to say there was a sore need for trousers and shoes for men and we provided some to the Salvation Army. In 2012 we did our own review of what we saw as the particular needs of people here in Poole in light of the difficult financial times and decided to provide more support locally than for some years to help evident needs. Routes to Roots is one charity project clearly helping people in practical ways and we particularly liked the fact that they are introducing people to work experiences through Holton Lee and felt we wanted to support that.”

Barclays Doubles Quiz Night Donation

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on June 10, 2013 | Barclays, fundraising, homeless, Routes to Roots (Poole) CIO

Well over 120 participants in a Quiz Night at Lytchett Matravers Village Hall in May raised £1,025 for Routes to Roots. The quiz was organised by Kate Coombs, a worshipper at Canford Heath Baptist Church, who regularly runs charity quizzes in the village. Following match funding from Barclays, we received a magnificent donation of £2,050. Kate (centre) presented the cheque in June.

Annual Street Count, November 2012

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on May 16, 2013 | homeless, rough slepper, street count

At 1am on Wednesday 14 November, a group of volunteers joined POST (Routes to Roots in partnership with Bournemouth Churches Housing Association) staff to help with the Poole annual street count.

Having been warmed with hot drinks, they were given their instructions and routes, logged in with the Police, and eventually set off to various parts of the Borough of Poole to collect and log the required information. Five teams covered Poole Park, Baiter Park, Poole Town and the car parks, Lower and Upper Parkstone, Canford Cliffs and Branksome Chine areas, and various known tent locations.

A total of 16 rough sleepers were found on the night – an increase of 25% on last year’s count. Nine of these people were known to POST and the Poole Rough Sleepers Core Group as ‘active’ rough sleepers. Two stated they were new to the area; two were unwilling to engage; and three were known to have previously accessed homelessness services within Bournemouth and Poole.

It was particularly poignant how obviously frightened some of these people were when approached by a group of strangers in the middle of the night, however much effort they put into being friendly. Apart from the need to make these counts for the Borough, the night proved successful in that people were found and directed to the POST services at URC, Skinner Street. The following day people did actually present at the office and several have now been housed.

Siemens Quizzers Help The Homeless

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on April 22, 2013 | charity quiz, fundraising, homeless, Siemens

A quiz night organised by Siemens charity committee in Poole resulted in £1200 being donated to R2R. The money was raised from proceeds of a raffle and added to by the warm-hearted charity committee. A team of R2R volunteers put up a brave show but didn’t manage to carry off any prizes. Siemens’ Alison Colborne (3rd from left) presented the cheque at an R2R Drop-In in April.

Princecroft Willis Says: “Let’s All Eat Cake”

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on April 22, 2013 | coffee morning, fundraising, homeless, Princecroft Willis

Coffee and cake mornings held at their New Forest and Poole offices in March enabled Dorset accountancy firm Princecroft Willis (PcW) to give a cheque for £518.76 to R2R. PcW invited business contacts and neighbours to the events and staff brought in home-baked cakes while a local supplier, Butterfingers, supplied the coffee. One delicious chocolate cake was rescued from the generous and hungry guests and sent along to the guys at R2R’s Afternoon Drop-In. PcW adopted Routes to Roots as its nominated charity in 2012 and has donated cash, food and warm clothing throughout the year.

Poole Winter Watch Opens As Temperatures Drop

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 21, 2013 | homeless, severe weather emergency provision, SWEP, winter

Since 13 January temperatures in Poole have dropped to 0° or below on many occasions. As a result the Poole Outreach and Support Team (POST – Routes to Roots in partnership with Bournemouth Churches Housing Association) has triggered its Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP). SWEP provides rough sleepers with a hot meal, overnight accommodation and breakfast in a Poole church hall.

When temperatures rise the accommodation closes but POST continues to monitor the situation and will re-open as necessary. The POST team engages with all known rough sleepers within the Borough of Poole on a daily basis and encourages them to move away from rough sleeping and into safe accommodation.

Anyone who has concerns about someone who is either rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping can contact Poole Outreach Support Team  (POST) on:
07966 808802 / 07985 998904 or at pooleoutreachteam@bcha.org.uk

Alternatively, in the case of a housing emergency or if you are aware of a person who requires more information about their current tenancy, you can call Housing and Community Services: 01202 633804