Yarmouth homelessness charity to shut

The Living Room Great Yarmouth, which has supported those who are homeless or vulnerably housed for the last 6 years is set to wind down. 

The move comes as the charity has faced difficulties recruiting trustees and volunteers, alongside a decrease in people requiring the support offered.

Chair of Trustees, Peter Timothy commented: “Since The Living Room started providing emergency overnight shelter in the winter of 2016/17, we have sought to work with churches, statutory agencies and other local organisations in order to support rough sleepers, and latterly, newly housed individuals in Great Yarmouth. The work started as a collaboration between a number of churches in our town, and our intention was to simply respond to a growing need by demonstrating the love of Christ to a marginalised group in a practical way.

“As I reflect upon the past six years, I believe The Living Room has made an overwhelmingly positive contribution in supporting the homeless of Great Yarmouth. I hope that the continuing development of the Great Yarmouth Homelessness Alliance will help bring about an end to rough sleeping in our town, and continue to ensure pathways into permanent, sustainable accommodation are accessible and effective.”

When The Living Room opened in 2016 it provided overnight accommodation in church buildings for those who were rough sleeping during the winter months. However after the pandemic the need for this was reduced and the Living Room shifted its focus to drop-ins for people who were long-term homeless or newly accommodated. The vision was to provide practical and relational support which would help people obtain and then maintain tenancies.

The Living Room has helped an average of more than 30 individuals each year, and the feedback from visitors speaks for itself, including one individual who said “they have helped a lot and helped to take me off the street when nobody wanted to know.”

The Living Room will formally close as a CIO at the end of July.

Image of The Living Room management team receiving a blue plaque from Lady Agnew in 2022 for work during the Covid-19 pandemic. Provided courtesy of The Living Room Great Yarmouth.