While there are many dedicated charities and services that support people experiencing homelessness within Leicester, we at The Bridge believe that we do things a little differently in a way that can make a lasting difference to those we help.
One thing we’re proud of is our open doors policy; we don’t have any sort of complicated referral process, or wait times that could span from weeks to months. All anyone has to do is walk in and ask for help, tell us what’s needed, and be directed to a caseworker. We also don’t implement appointment times or deadlines when it comes to working with our guests (service users). Some have spent weeks coming to The Bridge just to get breakfast before they felt comfortable enough to speak with someone and ask for help. We make sure to work at the pace that is set by the guest. If they’ve had a bad week and just need someone to talk to, we can do that; if they don’t have the energy to go through forms and make phone calls that day, that’s ok, we can still offer food, shower services, computer access and a safe space.
We pride ourselves on being a constant form of support for people by being open five days a week, and for never being closed for longer than three days at a time. By doing this people know that they can always come to The Bridge, and that help is never a long wait away.
Even when people have found accommodation and are no longer homeless, we are here to support them. It is a common misconception that finding a place to live will be the end of someone's problems. But a lot of people will continue to struggle with mental illness, disabilities, and debt. For those who have gotten used to the community of being homeless, living alone can become very isolating very quickly; we’re here to offer support and social opportunities through The Lighthouse Project. With the one on one mentoring offered by The Lighthouse Project we can be there for those overcoming homelessness or living vulnerably. Learn more about the work The Lighthouse Project does here.
With all this in mind we believe we are a fantastic choice for any business when deciding on their charity of the year.
There are many reasons a business would have a charity of the year in the first place; doing so would help build a positive image for any business, and define said company as ethical, caring, and reliable. Doing so would also present new opportunities for employees, such as volunteering and fundraising, which can help build team morale and engage employees in the community of the company. It will also offer opportunities to network with other businesses and organisations in the same sector as the charity, and to build stronger relationships with the local community.
By making The Bridge your charity of the year you’ll be helping us not only continue the work that we do, but to constantly improve and offer new services too. Continuing to support and provide advocacy for people experiencing homelessness is done in many different ways. Sometimes the biggest difference we can make to someone's day is offering something really practical, like our shower facilities, a hot meal, washing machines, or just a warm and dry place to spend the day. By keeping our doors open five days a week, we can give people the majority of our time to get whatever they need from our services. With continued funding we can host after hour groups, such as our cooking classes - aimed at helping people who are struggling with knowing where to start with healthy eating, and figuring out how to cook for themselves and build a healthier lifestyle. On top of our art, music, and English language classes, we have also begun hosting a monthly women's group, and have plans for more physical activities to be offered in the future, such as boxing and football.
Funding will help us continue to grow our staff to meet the needs of our charity, provide training for our volunteers (currently an average of 70 volunteers), and to keep up with maintenance and repairs of the building. Another regular expense for us is our groceries, as we feed on average 350 guests a week. With enough monetary support we can cook nutritious, healthy, and filling meals, and make sure that there’s enough for everyone.
If you would like more information about working with The Bridge, or would like to talk with us about making us your charity of the year, please phone us on: 0116 2221161, or email kate@bridgeleiecster.org.
Comments