Doorway Wiltshire continue to celebrate the ongoing success of its drop-in sessions, made possible through generous funding from Selwood Housing and other partners and businesses. The initiative continues to provide vital support to individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, offering a lifeline to hundreds in the local community.
The grant from Selwood Housing has enabled Doorway Wiltshire to strengthen its core services, covering staff and volunteer costs, training, guest activities such as music and photography, recruitment, equipment, and a guest support fund for specific needs.
In the past year, around 300 individuals have accessed Doorway’s services. One remarkable story involves a 76-year-old long-term rough sleeper who, after years of limited engagement with outside agencies, was reached through Doorway’s outreach work. Through consistent empathy and reliability, trust was built, leading to engagement with local authorities and registration with a GP surgery.
Doorway Wiltshire’s flexible, person-centred approach empowers guests to move away from homelessness and build better lives. Individual plans are developed for each guest, supporting transitions from rough sleeping to temporary accommodation, permanent housing, or employment. The funding has played a crucial role in enabling these life-changing outcomes.
Open access drop-in sessions run Monday to Friday, providing hot meals, showers, clean clothes, tents, sleeping bags, a care-of address, telephone and internet access, mobile phones and data, and food bags to take away. These services are available to people of all ages and backgrounds, reflecting Doorway’s commitment to inclusivity and dignity.
Brian, a Doorway guest, shares:
“The staff at Doorway are like no one I’ve ever seen in all my years of being homeless. They saw past the smell and dirt and saw something in me that I myself had lost a long time ago, a person, and I knew from that day that someone was there for me.”
Doorway Wiltshire continues to experience increased demand for its services. They remain committed to providing hope, dignity, and practical support to those facing homelessness, demonstrating the power of community-driven initiatives and targeted funding. You can find our more about Doorway Wiltshire on their website.
