Beyond a Room This Christmas
How £48 provides more than sanctuary for women in crisis
“You have no idea how much this means to me. I can stay here and feel safe, I do not have to live in fear anymore.”*
Our Marylebone Project in London is the largest women’s only hostel in the UK open every hour, every day of the year for women experiencing homelessness. We provide 112 long and short-term private rooms to women alongside our always open drop-in-service.
The team offer a round-the-clock service to meet the individual needs of each woman who comes to the project assisting them to gain confidence, enhance their skills, and take the steps necessary to living a more fulfilling life.
“We seek to empower women to dream again for their future and have ownership of their steps towards those dreams.”**
*Resident at the Marylebone Project, **Extract taken from the Centre Team Vision
Meet Sarah*
“I used to live in Marylebone Project for two years. All the time when I needed help, they were there. I’d lost all my confidence but when I got back to the kitchen, I felt like myself again and I thought, ‘I’m OK’”.
Like many of the women who need the Marylebone Project, Sarah became homeless fleeing an abusive partner. After exhausting every available option, she found herself sleeping rough on the streets of London.
When referred to the Marylebone Project, Sarah came suffering from panic attacks, extreme anxiety, and depression. Her experiences had led her to be distrustful of people and she found it difficult to engage with the project.
But over time, she attended counselling and began to join in with the programme of activities and got involved with our Social Enterprise Education Programme. She completed a catering course and then a voluntary work placement in the hospitality sector – who’ve since offered her a job.
“It’s not been easy but the staff at Marylebone showed me I could do it and gave me that confidence to make the changes I needed to make.”
*Due to experiencing domestic violence, name has been anonymised
Whether a woman needs to access professional healthcare, education and employment advice, family mediation or tenancy negotiation, the Marylebone Project is there for them.
Though £48 is the cost of one night’s emergency accommodation at the project, it offers every woman who needs it, so much more.
This Christmas, will you join us in empowering those we work with to dream again, and take their steps to a life beyond homelessness?
Give a Gift here
*All donations go to General Funds out of which we fund our frontline projects. Your donation will be used to support people in crisis, wherever the need is greatest.
