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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£564.3K
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Spending
£620.2K
Public benefits
In furtherance of the “objects” clause in our Memorandum of Association our main purposes can be construed to fall within (1) “the relief of those in need”; (2) “the advancement of health”. 1. The relief of those in need: The benefit, that flows from this purpose, is the provision of (a) fully-staffed 24/7 short-term supported accommodation with
capacity for twenty homeless alcoholic adult males at any one time. The direct benefits of (i) relief from homelessness (ii) better health (iii) during or after a 18-42 month specialist housing support and alcohol recovery programme such individuals are (iv) re-housed in permanent independent accommodation or re-united with loved-ones so as to provide wider benefits of developing their full potential as members of their family and/or society. The public benefits flowing to our target group of beneficiaries, who share a geographical area in Northern Ireland and a common disadvantage of being homeless and registered as such with NIHE and ill due to alcoholism which constitute a section of the public, can be demonstrated by fewer homeless people sleeping rough on the streets or “sofa surfing” in others’ homes or ending up in nightly “crash facilities”, hospitals or even prison or premature death. Our purposes are beneficial with no harm and can be demonstrated by this past three-yearly average annual occupancy rate of 99.6%. In the same period we have successfully re-housed 73 of our residents (from a total of 104) into permanent independent living. 2. The advancement of health and the saving of lives: Our “objects clause” further states “To pursue the health and welfare [of homeless alcoholics]...in Northern Ireland... encouraging their rehabilitation”. Therefore, the direct benefits flowing from this purpose and for this section of the public i.e. marginalised recovering homeless adult male alcoholics lawfully resident in N. Ireland and registered as “homeless”, directly benefits from a daily reprieve from alcoholism in our “dry”/alcohol-free hostel. Further, the physical, mental, emotional health of our residents is also greatly improved by regular cooked good meals, four group therapy meetings per week, one-to-one alcohol counselling delivered by visiting counsellors, positive social interaction, hobbies, interests and external AA meetings. The benefit can be demonstrated as beneficial without harm by the statistic of 73 out of 104 residents remaining sober, in good health and being re-housed over this last three-year period. There are indirect benefits of better relationships with family and friends, saving from premature death due to the inducements to live a better alcohol-free life and there are the wider and incidental benefits to the community of having fewer alcoholics on the streets, in hospitals or prison, and ultimately these disadvantaged and sick persons may so improve their health to re-commence paid employment, which is another incidental benefit rather than the charitable purpose of the relief of poverty. Revenue expenditure for staff, food, building rental are private benefits but are incidental in achieving our purpose.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
The Hostel is run on general AA principles including, “the twelve-step programme of recovery”, and all residents are required to attend four group meetings per week: Monday’s AA-type, Tuesday’s “Individual Needs & Risks”, Thursday’s to discuss house problems and a Saturday meeting for “Group Dynamics & Feelings”. At these meetings and throughout
the period of occupancy residents are encouraged to form friendships, discuss their feelings and share their experiences, strengths and hopes. They talk about how they are coping in this safe, quiet and relaxed atmosphere where they can develop inter-personal and other life-coping skills. One-to-one counselling is also available to all residents but for more complex personal issues residents are referred to external specialists. At group meetings there is focus in regard personal development, more-general matters such life-coping and inter-personal skills, “generic” issues such as debts, housing, employment and family/relationships problems. The Manager organises outdoor activities for residents including local hill-walking and shopping trips, assisting in therapeutic work-placements, and enrolment in further-education. There are computers in the House for use by residents for educational purposes. Residents are also encouraged to attend AA meetings outside of the House in the immediate locality. Some residents also engage in local places of worship. Our organisation has witnessed many previously dysfunctional families achieve some considerable degree of “normality”/reconciliation. This is due to the emphasis on continuing-sobriety and the arrest of this disease on a daily basis, on-going specialised, general and one-to-one counselling/guidance/advice and other support with the end-view of reintegration within the community. Emotional support and rebuilding of self-esteem is crucial throughout our programme.
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of health or the saving of lives
- The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
Who the charity helps
- Addictions (drug/solvent/alcohol abuse)
- Homelessness
- Men
- Mental health
- Voluntary and community sector
How the charity works
- Accommodation/housing
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Counselling/support
- General charitable purposes
- Medical/health/sickness
