Statement to Doorway Stakeholders, Partners, Volunteers and the Media

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. 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.