New Sunderland drop-in centre for the homeless opens

A new homeless drop-in resource centre has opened in Sunderland to help individuals living on the streets or at risk of having no roof over their head.
The new homeless drop-in resource centre Basis@Sunderland at Park Road Church is officially opened.The new homeless drop-in resource centre Basis@Sunderland at Park Road Church is officially opened.
The new homeless drop-in resource centre Basis@Sunderland at Park Road Church is officially opened.

North East-based charity Oasis Aquila Housing has opened Basis@Sunderland, in Park Road Church.

The charity based the new centre on the model of their first homeless centre Basis@336 in Gateshead.

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That service has offered a variety of short and long-term support to rough sleepers in Gateshead and the charity hopes to repeat its success in Sunderland.

Basis@Sunderland will offer a warm welcome to any individual whatever their circumstances and runs as a drop-in style centre with no referrals needed so anyone can pop by.

Whether it’s acts as simple as offering a cup of tea and a hot shower, or longer-term support with accessing stable housing and finding work, the charity aims to walk side by side with every individual and support them back into a home and a community.

Ambitions for the new project become a reality through grant donations from several parties including the Nationwide Building Society’s community grants programme managed by the County Durham Community Foundation and the Sisters of Mercy in Sunderland.

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Although many churches in the city run food banks and offer lunches, Sunderland currently lacks any drop-in style provision for people sleeping rough or facing homelessness.

By opening Basis Sunderland in direct response to this need, Oasis Aquila Housing hopes to support more homeless people into accommodation and react quickly to help anyone who finds themselves sleeping rough.