Our projects improve the lives of vulnerable people in our community, and the community itself, in many different ways. They help to provide, amongst other aspects:-

• A SAFER local environment
• Improved mental and physical WELLBEING
• A contribution to CRIME REDUCTION
• REDUCTION in use of EMERGENCY SERVICES
• REDUCED PRESSURE on other front line CARE SERVICES
• LESS INEQUALITY

Often people are beneficiaries of one or more projects – for example, when they are homeless, they can be helped to be housed and settled in to accommodation at the Homeless Project, and are able to access Foodshare for a while, until they get on their feet. If they are able to attend training or start work, there is support at the Homeless Project with IT, appropriate interview clothing, or whatever is needed to take these next steps. Our aim is to empower people to be able to rebuild their lives, which has a huge impact not only individually, but also on our community.

Windsor Foodshare currently supports an average of 70 individuals/ families per week. When a family or an individual accesses Windsor Foodshare, they are able to get basic non-perishable groceries every week, as well as fruit and vegetables, thus cutting the food bill considerably and easing often very tight finances. It can often mean that the other bills can be paid, and debt avoided. This contributes to better mental health, as it also reduces the stress on people who are struggling, when it is sometimes hard to find the money to put a meal on the table every day. Another of the benefits is an improvement in physical health for all recipients. The impact on the children is especially important – having enough to eat, and eating well, can really affect children’s ability to concentrate at school and achieve better educational outcomes. This has huge social impact by helping to reduce inequality.

Windsor Street Angels helps an average of about 100 people a week in Windsor at night time. When people go out and socialise on a Friday and a Saturday night, Windsor Street Angels keep them safe by providing a base at Windsor Baptist Church where they can go if they are lost, injured or needing a helping hand. Soup, water, blankets, flip-flops and first aid are provided. Apart from promoting safety and physical health, one the other important social impact of this service is that the Angels defuse situations between people and so fights are avoided. Crime is also reduced by having a vigilant presence in the town.

Windsor Homeless Project hosts an average of 60 people at Alma Beacon. Hot food is provided in a warm dry place, contributing to physical health and wellbeing. Support is given, in partnership with Resilience, to reduce addiction, which in turn reduces drug and alcohol-related crime in the town. In addition, the help that is given with finding accommodation and setting up home means that those people are settled in a safe, warm place of their own and do not need to sleep on the streets of Windsor. Mental health issues are reduced by having a counsellor on site, which helps the individuals concerned as well as taking pressure off the NHS. Moving guests into voluntary or paid work, where appropriate, also has positive social impact by providing guests with an opportunity to give back, and use their time and skills in the service of others.

The following are some real stories of people who have been supported by our projects:

When I was younger, I had work as an AV engineer. I lived with my partner. She died and after that I got depressed and stopped caring about life. I started doing alcohol and cocaine, and got into arguments with customers about payment. I lost my job, and couldn’t keep up the rent payments, so I got evicted. Since I have been homeless, I have done shoplifting and got in trouble with the police quite a bit. I have been to prison several times. Recently I have had an operation and am in quite a lot of pain. I have to claim for ESA because I am not fit for work. Filling in the forms is really hard. I started going to the Homeless Project. They have really nice food and the people don’t judge you. They helped me with the forms. I asked my mum if I could move back with her, but she can’t cope with what I am doing any more. I sleep under a bush most nights, and the Street Angels know where I am and keep an eye on me. In the winter I go to the Night Shelter. I am hoping that the guys at the Homeless Project can help me find a flat.

I am sixty-three and I lost my husband a couple of years ago. I have no children of my own, and I married a man who already had children. When he died, I was living in the family home, but my step-children wanted to sell it for their inheritance. They had never liked me. One day they came into the home when I was out and changed the locks, so I couldn’t get back in. I am quite a private person and I didn’t know who to turn to. I ended up wandering round Windsor during the day and sleeping at the top of the multi-storey car park at night. Sometimes at night, the Street Angels would come and check on me, and see if I was all right. They told me about the Homeless Project, and I went along to see if they could help me. I had a nice hot meal and a cup of tea. Because of my age, they were able to get me into a local old people’s home, where I have been ever since. I am so grateful.

I was married for ten years. I had a house in Datchet and worked for a security firm. The relationship didn’t work out, and after that, I had a number of different partners. I joined the army and fought in the Falklands war. When I came out, it was hard to get used to normal life. I ended up homeless. Then I started drinking and everything went downhill. The drinking affected my health, and I had to have an operation recently for a stomach abscess. I must admit I didn’t eat properly. I was on my own and sometimes I just couldn’t be bothered. It was quite a lonely life. In the winter, it was really cold and when the Night Shelter opened, I stayed there. The other homeless guys told me about the Homeless Project, and I started going along regularly. The people there are very friendly and welcoming, and it was good company. It really helped me to have a healthy cooked meal. They took me to the council, helped me get housed in a flat, and then helped me get some furniture together and other things I needed. I am working as a kitchen porter now but don’t earn much, so I go along to Foodshare for the basics. It really helps.