What is Beacon Housing?

We have developed Beacon Housing to provide supported housing to help men at risk of becoming homeless. It has been set up in partnership with Green Pastures, who have a vision to eliminate homelessness in our nation.

Green Pastures has been running as a charity for some 26 years and are  supporting/housing 1,132 people at present. Individuals invest with them, they use this money to purchase properties and cover all legal requirements. They also provide a liaison worker to support each organisation.  The property is then leased to us. Residents claim housing benefit which, because of the support they receive, covers property related costs, including the lease.

We offer rooms in this property to single men. Each resident has a minimum of 3 hours of support each week, helped by a range of people offering their time and skills to the residents. There is a referral system and interview process. We have volunteers who cover maintenance of the property, doing this with the residents to build skills and friendship. We have other team members who provide help with finding employment, budgeting, benefits, life skills etc.

As well as the support hours there is also a requirement to do a number of hours of “meaningful activity”. All of us struggle if we have no sense of achievement or purpose and, through the Acorn Centre, there are volunteering opportunities, whether on the reception desk, the cafe, maintenance, garden or conservation at Billy’s Lake.

We have maintained four residents for most of the past 5 years and we count them as friends. We now have a salaried Housing Manager (operated as a job share) together with the full support team. We have worked with CAP (Christians Against Poverty) to develop budgetting skills.

We have also recognised that poor mental health is one of the biggest difficulties that many people face. We are exploring various avenues of support and help with the hope of creating an effective, life changing support system.

How Can You Help?

  1. If you know of a young man who could benefit from this project, talk to Simon or Ann Waters or Beth Carr or e-mail housing@beaconchurchhavant.org.uk
  2. If you would like to support the house, whether it is by helping in the house for an hour or so a week, with the administration, or with the upkeep of the house, again please talk to us or email as above.
  3. We also need to have 10 “Good Samaritans”, superstars who will support the core costs of Green Pastures by donating at least £5 a month. Prayer is free and we could do with lots of that too!! Click here for more info.

Thank you.

Latest Update…

Over the last month we have seen two residents move out into their own flats, one new man arrive and we’re talking to another today. A time of flux and growth.

We are also looking at working with Green Pastures again to purchase a Studio flat in the area to use as a preparation for moving on, where men from Beacon House can go to get ready for independent living; being responsible for their own bills, maintaining their own propertywithout the teamwork of Beacon House. It will also be available for men who have previously been used to independent living and don’t need the hustle and bustle of a community house.

Please be praying for the house, that it would be a place of healing, a place of community and a place of hope.