St Martins offers more than a home for the homeless, it helps people build a better life in Norwich and Norfolk. As part of a series of stories to mark its 50th anniversary, we find out more about the charity.

St Martins is the largest homelessness charity in Norfolk and offers street outreach, emergency direct access accommodation, residential care and support and development opportunities to people experiencing homelessness, and those at risk. St Martins aims to enable everyone it supports to achieve their full potential and a greater level of independence.

What St Martins does
St Martins provides accommodation for 234 people each and every night of the year in its hostels and other facilities. Support is provided alongside this accommodation to enable people the best possible chance of successfully moving on to live independently.
The most visible form of homelessness is rough sleeping, and St Martins leads Pathways, a consortium of charities and agencies funded by Norwich City Council, to provide a service to support people sleeping rough.
The collaborative partnership approach means that specialist support is provided directly to each person. The team specialises in welfare benefits and housing law. They provide criminal justice liaison, young person’s advice and housing related support. There is also an advanced nurse practitioner on the team.
Hostel facilities include:

  • Bishopbridge House, a direct access hostel that accommodates 33 people.
  • The Somewhere Safe to Stay Hub located on Recorder Road provides safe short-term accommodation for 15 people experiencing homelessness, with a variety of complex needs.
  • Dibden Road, a male-only hostel for up to 18 people, with a further five self-contained flats providing move-through accommodation for more settled residents.

St Martins currently leases 17 houses around Norwich that provide 70 bed spaces in shared properties. In addition, the charity supports people living in their own homes in the community who are at risk of homelessness, often due to poor mental health and addiction.
The charity runs two Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered care homes:

  • Highwater House is a 22-bed dual diagnosis home (mental illness and substance abuse) for people who have been homeless or who are vulnerable.
  • Webster Court provides accommodation, support and care for 32 people over the age of 50 who have experienced homelessness or are vulnerably housed, and who are frail, with mental health issues and may have suffered from substance abuse.

The range of services offered by St Martins has developed dramatically over the years in response to the changing needs of the people supported.
Several projects have been piloted in Norwich, including a ‘Housing First’ project whereby a person moves straight into long-term accommodation, rather than progressing through a hostel route. Housing First has been hugely successful in Finland and has proved effective in Norwich.
Often long-term health conditions are masked by a chaotic lifestyle. Once a person becomes settled in their accommodation, it’s not uncommon for health problems to come to the fore so it is crucial that they are supported into getting the treatment they need.
Support workers will help people to attend medical appointments, access benefits and establish new social networks through positive activities, such as courses at St Martins’ learning and development centre.
The team at St Martins says there is more to homelessness than housing. Opportunities, such as learning to cook, art sessions, keep fit, singing and IT skills help to build up confidence and equip people with vital life skills.

50th anniversary exhibition
To mark 50 years of St Martins, an exhibition will be held in the Atrium of The Forum, Millennium Plain in Norwich from Wednesday, June 22 to Saturday, June 25. On display will be a timeline, archive photos and footage from throughout the decades. The exhibition is free to enter and will be accessible during usual Forum opening hours.
The purpose of the event is to highlight the work of St Martins, which has grown in range and diversity over the years. The charity is keen to showcase the positive work it is currently doing and its plans for the future to provide more accommodation to people in need. Team members and people using St Martins’ services will be ready to talk to visitors about their experience.
The St Martins exhibition subsequently will be on display at the Norwich Historic Churches Trust at St Martin at Palace Church throughout July, open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am–3pm.

For more information about St Martins, view the 50th anniversary supplement.