Lancaster homeless action charity moves into bigger and better new home

Lancaster & District Homeless Action Service (LDHAS) has crossed town from Edward Street to a smart base in Aalborg Place nestled between solicitors and financial advice offices.

“This is a welcoming space where people will be respected and treated with dignity,” said LDHAS manager, Phil Moore.

“It’s about a third bigger than Edward Street and has a lot more private spaces. It is more central and we have neighbours which I think is a good thing because more people are aware of what we are doing.”

Said Phil: “There’s a lot of misconceptions about homelessness and the reasons for it.”

Daily attendance increases yearly and peaked at 32 in March. The average number of people using the centre daily is between 18-20 with 80% being men and an average age of 40.

Some live on the streets, others might be sofa surfing or in hostels. Recently, LDHAS has seen an increase in people about to be made homeless for the first time and those from countries including Africa and Iran who have been given the right to remain but lost their accommodation.

Over the past six years, LDHAS has developed the concept of a ‘homeless hub’, a one-stop shop of support which continues. Aalborg Place now also offers a medical room and workstations which didn’t exist previously.

A nurse visits three times weekly and the Hepatitis C Trust will use the new medical room too.

In future, it is hoped that travelling GPs, who see people excluded from practices, will visit the centre.

Homeless people’s life expectancy is poor – 43 for women and 46 for men. During the Covid pandemic, 37 LDHAS clients died.

Organisations regularly represented at LDHAS include the Citizens Advice Bureau, Calico housing provider, Red Rose Recovery, The Well and Inspire.

A hairdresser also visits as does an optician on a yearly basis.

Anyone facing homelessness or already without a home can turn up at Aalborg Place where they will be immediately triaged and have their needs assessed.

Among facilities are a shower and a laundry. Breakfasts and lunches are cooked by some of up to 30 volunteers who complement the staff team of six. Among the team are some with lived experience of homelessness.

The centre can’t provide overnight accommodation which disappeared in Lancaster during the pandemic when Christ Church was forced to close its shelter. LDHAS does provide sleeping bags and advice on safe places to sleep.

To make the move to Aalborg Place, 25 different funders have contributed to the refurbishment of the former call centre and fundraising is continuous to pay for staff and keep the centre going.

The LDHAS Christmas appeal accounts for a quarter of the charity’s income and it also depends on legacies, monthly donations and individual fundraising events.

Other donations come in the form of food and clothing. Churches are supportive, schools have cooked meals, the Whale Tail café has donated proceeds from its art auctions, and Dolphinholme Show even gives prizewinning marrows and cakes.

It may have taken a decade to find a suitable new home for LDHAS and two years of fundraising to make it fit for purpose but the team is pleased with the move.

And what do the clients think? “It’s better than the old place!”