Threshold staff praised for helping homeless get back on their feet (From Swindon Advertiser)

Threshold staff praised for helping homeless get back on their feet

8:20pm Friday 5th October 2012 in News By Josh Layton

HOMELESS charity Threshold Housing Link helped more than 700 vulnerable people in the past year, according to figures released at its annual general meeting.

The organisation, based in Queen Street, Swindon, invested £180,000 in a new property for the homeless which has freed up beds in its main direct access hostel, Culvery Court.

In addition, 343 people were accommodated in its hostels in and around Swindon, and 413 people made contact on almost 9,000 occasions through the Street Outreach Service.

Workers had 8,571 contacts with people who are either homeless or threatened with homelessness.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday, chairman of the trustees Trevor Davies, said: “We have positively resettled 49 per cent of our service users and will help them with their independence by continuing to support them through those first few critical months of living alone.

“It has been challenging to plan against the backdrop of limited resources and grant cuts, and our staff should be congratulated for their valiant efforts and determination to succeed. The support from our partners made a difference and thanks goes to all those who helped achieve these goals.

“As Threshold enters its 40th year, the charity is bigger and stronger, yet its core objectives remain at the heart of our work – to help the person who is suffering instability, rejection and exclusion.”

Mr Davies also said it was a tough time to secure funds with a number of organisations competing for new contracts.

But he told the meeting that the staff had worked hard and dealt with many high risk people, such as serious offenders, who would not be helped by other charities.

Mr Davies also used the annual review to praise staff.

He wrote: “Our staff’s efforts and continued perseverance over the last year is to be commended. We have overcome many issues by successfully securing funding and developing services that will enable us to assist a wider range of people that are either homeless or threatened with homelessness.”

The charity, which has 30 staff, reported a turnover for 2011/12 of £970,369, and a net surplus of £19,850.