Providing healthcare and support services to the homeless and those in insecure accommodation.

Beacon House has been working alongside disadvantaged and single homeless people in Colchester for 15 years. Our front-line services include; facilities for shaving and showering, a personal laundry service, clean clothes, toiletries, drinks and snacks. We provide a daily nurse led clinic, respite day beds (for those who are chronically ill or exhausted), life skills, child, adult and family counselling and Group-work, (anger management, confidence building and stress management).

Why the community needs this charity

We work with people who feel excluded from mainstream society. Many have little opportunity to access housing due to their chaotic lifestyles and complex needs, and often sleep in shop doorways, tents, or squats. 80% of our clients suffer from either mental health problems or serious addiction to alcohol or drugs in addition to other problems they may have with money, relationship / family breakdowns, loss of jobs, offending behaviour and all the other complex reasons underlying homelessness.

Results and outcomes

During 2010/11 8,263 visits were made by 470 clients who used our services, a rise of 5% on the previous year. Of these 8,263 visits approximately 80% were by homeless clients. Our client ratio is approximately 80% men and 20% women. Our crucial and invaluable services provide an immediate impact on people's health and well being. Not only do they support a person's physical, emotional and mental health but they serve to provide a preventative healthcare service to this community.

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