Loose Ends

Loose Ends - A drop in centre providing food, clothes, bedding and friendly support for the homeless and vulnerable in Newbury

LOOSE ENDS DROP-IN CENTRE FOR THE HOMELESS

LOOSE ENDS is a small, informal drop-in facility for homeless and inadequately housed people. It was started around twenty years ago and is still manned entirely by volunteers, many drawn from local church congregations.

It is funded by donations, mostly from local churches and our partner organisations. We are especially indebted to the Baptist Church on Cheap Street which allows us to use the church Morton Hall. Loose Ends has a Christian ethos, but volunteers of all persuasions are very welcome.

We provide hot meals, groceries to take away, toiletries and clean clothes. A friendly chat is always on offer if wanted.

Currently, our doors are open for five sessions a week.

There are plans to extend this much needed facility, as there has been a recent surge in the numbers of people seeking to use it.

Another new trend is the number of young people coming through the doors. They are either living rough, or are what is known as the “invisible homeless” ie constantly on the move from one “friends” door to another. So many of our clients are the product of broken homes and failed “care” systems, and a surprising number are ex-service personnel. Most of them have histories that move one to tears and have suffered terribly either physically, mentally or both. The majority have an alcohol or drug problem, or both, and most of them are known to the police.