Imagine moving into an empty flat. No curtains, no furniture, no means of cooking a meal. Turning Tides believes no one should face that. It takes £2,000 to transform four walls into a true home for someone rebuilding their life.
I’m Neil Mitchell, manager of the Housing First service, and I’ve worked with Turning Tides since 2018. During that time, I’ve been part of several teams, working directly with rough sleepers and people living in temporary accommodation. I’ve seen a lot over the years, working with people in the most difficult of circumstances.
Recently, though, what has struck me the most is the growing number turning to the charity for support. Our community hub drop-in sessions alone were accessed 7,444 times – an increase of 18%.
Behind each of those 7,444 visits is someone in need of a warm meal, a friendly face, or simply a place to escape the cold. Many people are from backgrounds of multiple disadvantage, or who are experiencing significant trauma because of the harsh living conditions they’ve been enduring. For some, the temporary and shared accommodation Turning Tides offers isn’t the answer. That’s why the charity has been running Housing First since 2020. What sets it apart is the approach of providing people with a stable home from which to start rebuilding their lives. The only requirement is a commitment to a tenancy; no other conditions are imposed. Housing First gives people the opportunity for something different, a better chance of getting to where they want to be.
Can you give £20 to support someone on their pathway out of homelessness?
‘Without this flat I wouldn’t have been able to properly reconnect with my son. Housing First has totally changed the direction of my life’
“Housing First has given me a new lease of life – I’ve got long-term stability in a space of my own, which is like a dream come true.”
Working in partnership with local councils and housing associations, we take a person-centred approach to finding accommodation for our Housing First clients. It’s an essential step in providing someone with the sense of self-worth and value that they need to start the healing process.
In total, it costs around £1,500-£2,000 to kit out a home with the things we all take for granted: whether that’s a bed, a comfortable place to sit or curtains to shut out the dark.
What your donation could purchase someone moving into their Housing First property:
Donate By Phone
Phone us on: 01903 680748
Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm
Donate By Mail
Cheque payable to: Turning Tides, sent to: Town Hall, Chapel Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1HA
Donate By BACS
Donate by BACS to: Turning Tides Homelessness
Account Sort Code: 40-47-23, Account No: 31498959
Other Ways To make a difference
I feel like a human being again.
I can see a plan ahead of me now. I see every step as part of a journey – to the top of a mountain.
When I get to the top of the mountain I will shout at the top of my lungs “thank you” to everyone that has helped me.
At times in my life, I have had no one to help me – but through Turning Tides I have changed such a lot. I can start to trust again and see how people can care for one another. I feel respected. I feel like a human being again.
