A HOMELESS support centre described as a "family" by those who run it has battled through an incredibly tough year with more than 400 people needing to use their services, although its future in the town is unclear.
Located opposite the Theatre Royal on Corporation Street, Hope House is a vital organisation that supports the homeless or those at risk of homelessness in St Helens.
Welcoming anyone who needs support, the centre offers those struggling to live with free meals, shower facilities, benefits and housing advice, a safe place to chat, and signposting to other services.
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With more than four hundred people using their services and more than six thousand interventions carried out over the past year, this shows the huge scale of demand being met at Hope House and the increasing number of people around St Helens who are struggling to get by.
Despite this increase in demand, the Hope House premises will soon be no longer after St Helens Council approved a Compulsory Purchase Order to demolish the building to make way for a new and improved bus station as part of its regeneration plans.
While there are hopes that the centre can relocate, there have been no agreements as of yet so the future remains unclear for the centre and its hundreds of service users.
Struggles pulls on the heartstrings
Speaking to the Star about the past year at Hope House, manager Julie Hand said: "It's been a really hard year for us, and it feels like we're all ready for burnout.
"We have had more than 400 people using our services in the past 12 months, and we have seen an influx of people on the streets and an influx of refugees and asylum seekers desperately needing our help. We have also had 14 deaths from our service users over the past year, which is just heartbreaking.
"It really pulls on my heartstrings because a lot of people just don't have the money for food or gas or electric, so when we close on a Friday, I know that some of them won't eat or have a bed until Monday."
Wide network of services support each individual
Working alongside other services such as Teardrops, Housing First, Change Grow Live, and the council and probation teams, the main aim of Hope House is to support their service users and get them into temporary, supported, or permanent accommodation.
Many of their service users also have other issues such as mental health, addiction, or domestic abuse concerns, so this collaboration between services is essential in helping each individual get the best support that they can.
With an open door policy and a dedicated team of volunteers, Hope House also prides itself on being a non-judgemental space where people can come to feel safe, have a chat and cup of tea, and regain their self-worth.
Ensuring that their service users were not alone this Christmas, the centre also opened on Christmas Day and cooked around 40 three-course meals thanks to the support of an anonymous donator.
'We are a family here'
Despite the stresses that come with the job and concern about the centre's future, Julie said that it is her amazing team and family-like relationships with service users which give her the strength to keep going.
She added: "When you're helping so many people, it can feel like you're on the front lines because our resources are limited and we rely on volunteers.
"But we have an amazing team and we are a family here. We care for each individual's needs and if you ask anyone how much they need and appreciate us here, it will be few and far between for those who say they don't.
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