Mission Partner: LeatherHEAD START
LeatherHEAD Start (LHS) provides emergency, direct access, short-term accommodation for homeless men and women over the age of 18. Priority is given to those with a local connection to Mole Valley. In 2008, under the government’s Places of Change Programme, in partnership with Mole Valley District Council and Raven Housing Trust, Leatherhead Night Hostel embarked on an innovative transformation of its building and service. This work has long since finished and the new service opened on 24 June 2011 rebranded as LeatherHEAD Start.
Homelessness can result from a wide variety of causes and affects people across a range of demographics and age. LHS provides 10 single rooms (including 1 for a couple), each with their own facilities, and offers a communal kitchen, dining area, recreation room and garden. There is no fixed duration of stay but the average stay is currently four months.
LHS runs its own allotment which is a good pastime for some of the clients. This also helped towards the ‘Out Of A Pickle’ project run between 2014-2020, where high-quality jars of various pickles were produced and sold by clients, volunteers and staff. This was very successful at providing an outlet for the clients to get involved in a small business, whether growing at the allotment, cooking at the home, or selling at various craft/winter fayres, Village Day, etc.
Over the last year an outdoor cabin has been added on the premises, providing an office for the manager, Angela Carter, a counselling room and hard wired internet access.
Other services include 24 hour support, plans for support tailored to individual needs, referral and resettlement into move-on accommodation and a tenant support service after resettlement into the community.
LeatherHEAD Start is a familiar local charity which the parish has supported through Jazz evenings, fund raising events and individual donations. See leatherheadstart.org for more details or call 01372 377790.
Our main contact is Kat Moore, who provides the IT, Client Support and Special Projects input to the organisation. Her Christian faith, which some other staff members also share, means the parish connects well to the ethos of how LeatherHEAD Start is run.
A lifeline to those who find themselves homeless, it continues to provide security and a safe place for vulnerable people to rebuild their lives.