Our History

History of the North Wiltshire Homelessness Project

The need for a drop-in centre for single homeless adults was identified at a multi-agency workshop organised by North Wiltshire District Council in January 2003 as part of its Homelessness strategic planning process. North Wiltshire was the only district council area in Wiltshire which had no dedicated service for this client group at that time.

"Homeless? There aren't any in Chippenham!"

In 2003, a common response from local people was that there was no evidence of homelessness in this area and therefore no need for a dedicated service. However, local professionals in all sectors - statutory, voluntary and church - reported that they regularly saw homeless single people but that no one agency was responsible for monitoring either the nature or levels of single homelessness in North Wiltshire

The Partners

The Project was a successful partnership between CVS North Wiltshire and The Salvation Army, Chippenham Corps and was supported by an Advisory Group including representatives from CVS, The Salvation Army, North Wiltshire District Council, the Mental Health Care Trust, North Wiltshire Citizen's Advice Bureau, the Probation Service and Community First.

A much wider group of interested Church, voluntary and statutory agencies and individuals offered advice and support as needed and received regular reports.

Networks and Other Stakeholders

Each partner brought its own networks to the partnership.

We benefited particularly from:-

A much wider group maintained an interest in the project and received regular progress reports including:

Update April 2010

Six years after being set up as a joint project by the Chippenham Salvation Army and North Wilts Council for Voluntary Service (now Develop), plans are now well in hand for Doorway to become independent.

At a meeting of Doorway stakeholders, friends and volunteers on 2 March 2010 a Steering Group was formed to establish a new form of governance for the project. This will take the form of a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee, and the Steering Group is currently registering with Companies House and the Charity Commission. During this transitional period the Salvation Army and Develop will continue their partnership to provide Doorway with a legal framework until the new entity is established in law. Day to day management is now in the hands of the new Board.

The new entity will be called Doorway Wiltshire Ltd. The Chair is the Reverend Simon Tatton-Brown (Vicar of St Andrew’s Chippenham); the Secretary is Mr Mike Franklin (formerly a Director of Reachout); and the Hon Treasurer is Mrs Jackie Ball (a Doorway volunteer). The other members of the Board of the new Company are Mrs Margaret Cleverley, Mrs Clare Jones, Mrs Miriam Nicholls, and Mrs Mary Quarmby.

Mrs Lisa Lewis remains as Doorway’s Project Manager.

The work of Doorway will continue and it is hoped expand to meet the ever growing needs of homeless and marginalised people in Wiltshire. It will also embrace much of the work with people using substances previously undertaken by Reachout*.

Doorway administration has moved to new premises, and the registered address for correspondence is now The Studio, 36 The Causeway, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3DB. Telephone (01249 445385) and email (info@doorwayproject.org.uk) remain unchanged.

Drop-in facilities for Doorway’s guests will continue to be provided at the Salvation Army Hall in Foghamshire, Chippenham.

Doorway Wiltshire wishes to express its thanks for the continued support of both the Salvation Army in Chippenham and Develop.

* Reachout provided advice and support to 16-25 year-olds with issues of substance misuse and their families. Reachout’s operations ceased on 31 March 2010.

Update October 2010

Formal dissolution of the Partnership between Develop and The Salvation Army will take place on October 21st 2010.

Doorway Wiltshire Limited, trading as Doorway.
Charitable Company Ltd by Guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 07232063
Charity No. 1137757