About Stevenage Haven

Stevenage Haven began from an initiative of the local churches in Stevenage. The man who coordinated the initiative was Chris Foster. Chris's parish priest was leaving Stevenage and shared his idea of uniting all the local churches to run a night shelter for homeless men and women during the winter months.

The Stevenage Housing Support Group started in 1990, with Chris Foster as Chairman of a small group from All Saints, Pin Green, with the aim of raising awareness of the growing problems of housing and homelessness in Stevenage. Initial funding came from the All Saints Ecumenical Council. In addition 'Food on Foot' had started in 1989, originally as an idea of Drugsline, and a band of volunteers based at the Oval Community Centre provided hot food and warm clothing twice a week to those who were sleeping rough in the town. The Stevenage Housing Support Group together with North Herts Young Homeless Group started discussions with Stevenage Borough Council on the possibility of opening a winter nightshelter in Stevenage. The Council identified a disused rent office at the Glebe shops as a home for the nightshelter which first opened its doors in winter 1992-3. Toilets were put in and mattresses were laid on the floor. Bunk beds were donated from a disused nuclear fall-out shelter. Food was brought in from local schools, old people's homes and local community centres.

The shelter, known by some as the Winter Haven and by others as the Cold Weather Haven, then opened for three months between November and January on an annual basis. Once the project was under way, agencies such as Social Services and the Police started to refer rough sleepers to the Haven. Initially Chris would interview prospective residents, and if he felt they were acceptable, they would be directed to the Winter Haven.

Subsequently Stevenage Borough Council decided that the Glebe rent offices were needed for a warehouse development, and the committee of the Winter Haven was invited to inspect a number of alternative buildings. The Lodge in Frobisher Drive was chosen and the Winter Haven transferred there in 1995.

The project now employed a full time Project Manager, four full time night staff and a part time volunteer co-ordinator although lack of funds and the residential location meant that the project remained a night shelter, only offering residents shelter between the hours of 7pm and 9am. Stevenage Haven officially came into being on 19th September 1997 when it was registered as a charity by the Charity Commission.

In December 2001 Stevenage Haven was able to negotiate an increase in its core funding through the Transitional Housing Benefit scheme, which was the forerunner to the Government's new "Supporting People" initiative, which came into effect in April 2003. Today, with funding through Supporting People the bulk of Stevenage Haven's core revenue requirements are secured.

In October 2003 we moved to Ditchmore Lane. The new premises, in the Old Town area of Stevenage have been completely refurbished by Stevenage Borough Council and offer Stevenage Haven a long-term secure base for our activities. From January 2004 Stevenage Haven introduced daytime opening which allowed us to increase the support and assistance our residents needed to return to independent living. The new Premises were formally opened by the Mayor of Stevenage and named "Chris Foster House".

Stevenage Haven is a very different place to the night shelter that opened in 1993. Now we are able to offer support, with counselling, health care, benefits advice, access to training and education. We work with other agencies such as Drugsline, the Community Drug and Alcohol teams, Herts Health Action for the Homeless and others. Our key working system means that a dedicated member of staff supports each client and our resettlement programme helps clients to access accommodation and to settle into their new homes. Our ex-residents can receive support while living in the community by continuing to use the day services available at Chris Foster House. The move to Ditchmore Lane and the introduction of daytime opening are evidence of our continued development.

Plans are being developed to provide second stage-supported housing for residents of Chris Foster House. Stevenage Haven is committed to further developments to ensure that we are able to effectively offer Stevenage's homeless both a "Haven" and pathways into independent living in the community.