Tag: Shelter services

Shelter and B&Q: transforming homes and improving lives
Shelter and B&Q: transforming homes and improving lives
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This year, as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations, B&Q delivered six home makeovers for those who have used Shelter’s services, transforming their homes and enabling them to feel safe and secure. At each makeover, our DIY Skills Advisers (DIYSAs) worked with the individuals and families to decide what home improvements would be undertaken, ensuring that they were at the heart of any work done on their homes.

The makeovers wouldn’t have been possible without B&Q volunteers bringing their enthusiasm, … Read more

Shelter Sheffield is helping homeless families have a merry Christmas
Shelter Sheffield is helping homeless families have a merry Christmas
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Christmas can be a challenging time in normal circumstances, but if you’re homeless or have a housing problem it can be especially difficult. ‘What’s happening for people is that they’re struggling, they’re under a lot of strain, pressure, and stress. And Christmas just adds to that for some people,’ Shelter Sheffield hub manager Tracey Nathan explains. ‘It almost puts a spotlight on the difficult situation in which they are living, because it’s a time when you’re meant to be happy, … Read more

Shelter Lancashire: our specialist debt and benefits advice service
Shelter Lancashire: our specialist debt and benefits advice service
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Over the last few years, demand for housing advice has dramatically risen in Lancashire. Three years ago, Shelter’s Blackburn based service was seeing around eight people a day, now they see around 68 people a day. This year, on average, 10 people experiencing homelessness come to Shelter Lancashire every week looking for advice, compared to one or two in the years before.

We are currently the only housing specialist in Lancashire and we’ve only seen the hardships that people who … Read more

Will you keep a good thing going?
Will you keep a good thing going?
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Paddy turned his life around, going from homelessness and addiction to working for Shelter. This happened because of Shelter’s peer mentoring programme. Now we need your help to keep a good thing going, by supporting this programme so that more people can help themselves to get off the street.

Paddy was living on the streets of Birmingham for five years and had a serious addiction to heroin and alcohol. Now he works for Shelter helping people with the problems he … Read more

Shelter Dorset: the power of a makeover
Shelter Dorset: the power of a makeover
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Volunteers for Shelter Dorset have been hard at work doing hub and home makeovers. In the most recent home makeover, volunteers helped a family who’d been living in temporary accommodation settle into their new home by doing decorating and DIY.

‘It makes such a big difference to our service users,’ hub manager Kate Parker said. ‘It’s about making the house a home.’

The makeover is thanks to B&Q employees, who volunteer for Shelter as part of our corporate partnership. 14 … Read more

Happy 70th Birthday, Legal Aid!
Happy 70th Birthday, Legal Aid!
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The aftermath of the Second World War saw the birth of our great welfare state. Four pillars provided the safety net people needed to ensure a minimum standard of living: decent and safe homes, healthcare for all, benefits for those struggling and education for children.

The unsung hero, which was never included in the welfare state’s four pillars, is legal aid, which celebrates its 70th birthday today.

While it may not feature in the top four, legal aid was, and … Read more

Partnerships are key for Shelter Norwich
Partnerships are key for Shelter Norwich
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Saturday 6 July was Norwich’s Lord Mayor’s Celebration, a parade through centre of Norwich that included dancers, musicians, performers, floats and puppets. This year, pride of place at the front of the procession was taken by the Norwich Financial Inclusion Consortium, a group of charities that includes Shelter Norwich.

The Norwich Financial Inclusion Consortium led the parade because they were named the Lord Mayor and Sheriff’s Civic Charity of the Year, due to the consortium’s work helping people with a … Read more

Shelter Thames Valley: spotlight on our new Hub
Shelter Thames Valley: spotlight on our new Hub
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Shelter’s Thames Valley office launched as our newest hub on 1 April, and we marked the occasion with a launch party and open day. ‘We threw it open to our service users, who came along and were absolutely fantastic, and to other partner agencies,’ service manager Jackqueline Hauxwell said. ‘We ensured that people could meet and mingle with the team.’

The Thames Valley Hub is located in the Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) Building at 27 Church Street, Slough. This … Read more