Helping homeless people
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| The Connection kitchen provides regular meals for clients, © David Lindsay |
Revd Dick Sheppard's vision of a church of 'the ever open door' became a reality in 1948 with the creation of what was known as the Social Service Unit, assisting vulnerable people in need. Services were provided from the Crypt and the Victorian burial vaults beneath the church site. In 1989, another welfare charity, The London Connection, took over one of John Nash's buildings to the north of the church to begin helping young homeless and insecurely housed people rebuild their lives. The two organisations merged in 2003 and became The Connection at St Martin's, now one of the largest organisations of its kind in the UK.
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| Clients of the Connection use the laundry facilities, Chris Sowe |
Each year, The Connection at St Martin's opens its door to over 6,500 clients, including: rough sleepers with entrenched street lifestyles and multiple needs; people in housing crisis; homeless ex-offenders or homeless people with mental health issues or drug/alcohol misuse problems; minority groups within the homeless population; and unemployed people who want to develop their skills or find a job.
The Connection employs around 100 staff and over 250 volunteers. It aims to deliver a range of field-leading services including:
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| The Connection runs a health clinic for its clients, © David Lindsay |
- day centres
- an emergency night centre catering for up to 40 people
- advice, hostel referrals, legal and welfare services
- health clinics
- housing and resettlement advice
- outreach to inform people in need of available services
- basic skills training and employment guidance
- arts, education and sports activities
- support for substance misuse
Transforming The Connection
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| A cross-section of the north range buildings, which house the Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields, clergy accommodation, church meeting rooms, offices and the Vestry Hall, Eric Parry Architects |
As part of the Renewal Project, the dilapidated underground vaults that housed much of St Martin's social care work for over fifty years have been demolished. Eric Parry Architects' plan creates a purpose-designed facility for the provision of these vital services. One of the aims of the Renewal Project is that, in addition to the dedicated staff and volunteers, the new spaces themselves will inspire clients of The Connection. The building where The Connection is based will be modified in order to:
- build additional space for services and projects
- bring daylight and ventilation into underground areas
- design flexible rooms to respond to changing needs
- enable new services to be developed, such as around-the-clock crisis advice and specialist casework
The new temporary accommodation building ensures that Care services continue to be provided on site throughout the project. It has been well received by staff and clients, boding well for the higher levels of service and support to be provided from the new permanent, purpose-designed spaces.
