A charity that helps the homeless has moved into one of Chippenham’s best-known buildings, following a major refurbishment by a local family building firm.
Volunteer cooks Kate, left, and Edwina in the new kitchen at Doorway's base at The Citadel.
Doorway has begun welcoming rough sleepers, people in temporary accommodation and those with housing problems to The Citadel in Bath Road after the 118-year-old building was completely refurbished by family firm Stonewood Builders of Castle Combe.
Many of those it helps have mental health issues or drug and alcohol addiction problems and as well as food and emotional support, the charity’s staff provide housing and benefit guidance, practical support and help connect guests to health and advice services.
The work, which began in April, saw Stonewood replace flooring, remove stud walls to change the layout and upgrade the electrics and other services in the former Salvation Army hall that has also been home to North Wiltshire District Council, a Tourist Information Centre and latterly a mail-drop centre. The company carried all the work out at cost to support the charity.
Doorway moved from the Salvation Army’s current home in Foghamshire, where it had been renting space to run its twice-weekly drop-in for 15 years.
Director Jo Kitching worked with architect Jack Konynenburg and Stonewood on the design of the new base with Stonewood contracts manager Paul Cunnington and his colleagues. The result is a bright, open space with a brand new kitchen, laundry area, shower room and disabled toilet as well as storage areas for food, which until the move had to be kept in a previous location, and clothing.
The first floor of the building has refurnished offices and a large hall, all of which will be available to hire to allow the charity to bring in extra revenue to offset the higher rent it will be paying.
“We are absolutely delighted with the job Stonewood has done, this new place is brighter and more spacious,” said Mrs Kitching.
“The difference in the atmosphere here is amazing and the staff are so much more relaxed than they were before and that just makes a major difference to how the guests feel when they come in.”
She said the most important benefit of the new base is the flexibility and certainty it brings. “The best thing about it is that we have total control and we can do exactly what we want, when we want to do it,” she said. “We can run another art group without worrying about where we will do it and we have the security of being able to plan for the long term for the first time.”
The charity has already set up a peer support group for people with drug and alcohol addictions on a Tuesday and hopes to open on Wednesdays in addition to its Monday and Thursday drop-ins from the end of October.
“The peer support group is somewhere for people to go who aren’t signed up to Turning Point,” said Mrs Kitching. “They can come along and talk to people in a very supportive atmosphere, there’s nothing else like this in Wilshire.”
The clean white walls of the new location will soon be brought to life with artwork created by the charity’s women’s art group. “We’ve never really had anywhere to display it so it will be lovely to see it where everyone can appreciate it,” said Mrs Kitching.
The extra space will also give Doorway the chance to extend its work with young care leavers, and teenagers and young adults who no longer live at home and are sofa-surfing. “We know there is a need in Chippenham and surrounding area so we want to attract more of them in to get to know us so we can help and encourage them,” said Mrs Kitching.
“We’ll have the hall upstairs where they can play table tennis and games and it will be much more welcoming.”
Mr Cunnington said the job was a satisfying one for Stonewood, which has been refurbishing listed buildings in the area for 48 years. “We went into a pretty run-down shell that was divided into lots of smaller offices,” he said.
“We just took down the stud walls, stripped everything back, replaced the electrics and services and did everything we could to give Jo the layout and amenities she wanted. Doorway are a fantastic charity and we were really delighted to support them with this work. We wish them well in their new home.”
Doorway will be having an open hour at The Citadel on September 1.
More details about how to support the charity a. www.doorwayproject.org.uk