Housing
Cherwell Housing Trust - Godstow Court, 5 West Way - Head Office: 01865 260500; General Enquiries: 01865 202371
e-mail: info@cherwellgroup.co.uk
Cherwell Housing Trust own and manage approximately 2000 units in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Permanent accommodation for single people is concentrated in Oxford and Banbury, with a small amount in Reading and new schemes in Wheatley and Didcot. In Oxford accomodation for single people is made up of the large schemes below, and smaller schemes in East Oxford, St Clements, City Centre, Rose Hill, Iffley and Headington. There are very few vacancies at the smaller schemes. The large schemes are: Gibbs Crescent, Mill Street; Luther Court, Luther Street; Salesian House, Crescent Road, Cowley ; Greater Leys (where there are a number of smaller blocks)
The Trust also manages Simon House and the Gateway Young People's Project.
The main route to access the accommodation is through nomination from the local authority, as the trust is committed to offering at least 50% of their vacancies to the Council. For new schemes this proportion is much higher; usually 100% of the first lets and 75% of re-lets. Referrals come from a wide variety of sources such as local authorities, social services, probation and self-referrals.
Opening hours : Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
City Council Housing & Community Services - Homelessness Section - St Aldates Chambers, 109/113 St Aldates - www.oxford.gov.uk
Accomodation advice: 01865 249811
Single Persons Officer: 01865 252328
Out of Hours Service: 0800 833408
e-mail: housingandrevenues@oxford.gov.uk
The OCC housing department homelessness section provides emergency accomodation, which in the first instance would be a room in a share house or hostel. As well as this there is direct access to a limited number of places within the supported accomodation managed by agencies such as MIND and Stonham and a small number of bedsits and self-contained flats.
Office hours : Monday to Thursday, 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.; Friday, 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.
Appointments: Monday to Thursday, 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Please ring the 'out of hours service' outside of these hours.
The Emmaus Commmunity - Emmaus Oxford, 169 Oxford Road, Oxford, OX4 2ES - 01865 402073 - www.emmausoxford.org
e-mail: admin@emmausoxford.org
Emmaus has recently opened a residential community in Oxford, following the Emmaus philosophy that offers previously homeless people a practical way to move from homelessness and dependency on state benefit into taking responsibility for their own lives through living in and working for a self-supporting community. It is a brand new building and residents will have their own rooms and quite a lot of community space where they will eat and live together. They will also be expected to work full-time, playing their part in making the community self-supporting. There is work for everyone, whatever their skills, so that even those who have not worked for years can have a meaningful job. Emmaus communities cover their costs by the collection and resale of donated household goods and Emmaus Oxford is currently running a "Secondhand Superstore" in Oxford (tel: 763698) where there are already volunteering opportunities and where cheap secondhand furniture can be purchaed (with a discount if you are on benefits). Residents tend to stay from between a few weeks to a couple of years - there is no time limit - but the idea is to help people into employment and independence. Illegal drugs and alcohol are not allowed in the communities. To find out more about Emmaus in Oxford, to make a donation to the new centre, or to volunteer visit their website.
English Churches Housing Group- Lucy Faithfull House, 8 Speedwell Street - 01865 243071/245960 - www.echg.org.uk
Lucy Faithfull House has 58 direct access beds for men and women over the age of 18, in single rooms. All residents are allocated a keyworker. There are shared lounges and bathrooms. 10 Registered Care beds in single rooms are provided with shared separate lounges and bathrooms. There is a laundry and games room, a central dining room where meals are served three times a day. Self-catering flats exist for those residents working towards more independent living plus 24 single rooms in three move-on houses located within easy walking distance of the city centre. The House is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Self-referrals are considered, as well as those made through a supporting agency. ECHG do accept clients with dogs.
ECHG also run the Walton Street Drug Recovery Project house. This is for people with stable mental health, with staffing to help residents overcome their drug addictions. The maximum stay here is 6 months. There is also a second stage flat, and an alcohol recovery programme.
Opening hours : 24 hours.
Gateway Young People's Project - 106 Bullingdon Road - 01865 722711
The Gateway Project, run by The Cherwell Housing Trust, offers short-term supported housing for young people aged between 16 and 25. Help and advice in building confidence and lifeskills is also provided. Gateway is a 53 bed project with mainly shared houses with individual bedsits and shared kitchen, lounge and bathroom. There are also some self-contained flats. Project workers are available to provide support as needed, and outreach workers provide support to young people who are at risk of becoming homeless. Gateway has projects in Oxford, Banbury, Newbury and Abingdon. Referrals should come from health/social care professionals, although self-referrals are also accepted.
Opening hours : Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Luther Street Day Centre - Luther Street - 01865 250153
The Luther Street Day Centre is a 'wet' (alcohol permitted) centre held in the same building as the Night Shelter. It caters for those over 25. Free soup and sandwiches are provided between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.; hot and cold drinks are available between 10 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. Workers at the centre will help with form-filling, information and referrals to other agencies. A drug and alcohol advice worker comes to the centre on Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.. 2 workers from the Salvation Army Out-Reach Team come to the centre on Thursday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.. Laundry facilities are available; the last wash is at 2 p.m. and all washing must be collected by 3.30 p.m..
Opening hours : Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except bank holidays).
Oxford Citizens Housing Association Supported Housing - 244 Barns Road - 01865 773000
The Supported Housing Team provides supportive accomodation for people living in and around Oxford. There are 3 directly managed projects in the city:
257 Iffley Road. This provides temporary accomodation for vulnerable 16-21 year olds. Referrals via Social Services Assessment Team. Refugee Projects. Accomodation for asylum seekers and refugees. Sheltered Housing. 13 sheltered housing sites in the Oxford city area are managed for those over the age of 60. A variety of studio and one and two bedroom self-contained flats with wardens living on some sites. Telephone the number given above for further information or an application pack.Floating Support: Support is provided for about 100 single people in OCHA's supported housing - to assist them in maintaining this accomodation. Nominations to OCHA's general housing is made via the Oxford City Council waiting list.
Agency-Managed Projects: OCHA's Supported Housing Team works with other organisations such as MENCAP, Oxfordshire Learning Disability Trust, Social Services, Stonham, and MIND, to set up specialised accomodation units for people with additional support needs such as mental health problems, learning disabilities and physical disabilities.
Opening hours : Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Oxford Housing Rights - 11 New Road - 01865 247853
Provides drop-in or telephone advice on how to find accommodation, on housing rights in relation to homelessness, evictions, housing benefit, income support, other benefits etc.
Opening hours : Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Home visits are available if necessary.
Salvation Army Outreach Project - St Giles Church Hall, Woodstock Road - 01865 515012 ; 07718 754967 / 07764 228480
The Salvation Army provide drop-in and telephone advice and information as well as blankets and food packages, shower facilities, hot drinks, and clothing.
The project aims: to make contact with rough sleepers in and around Oxford. To provide information, advice, encouragement and support to rough sleepers, building trusting relationships with those clients enabling them to move off the streets into accommodation. To work to find the best "fit" between individual client needs and the available resources. When appropriate accommodation is secured, follow-on support is offered to the client to help them maintain their tenancy. The NCDL Hope Project is also based here - helping dogs whose owners are homeless or in housing crisis.
Opening hours : Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.
Nurse Practitioner on Monday morning for 2 hours.
Addictions Nurse Specialist on Wednesday morning for 2 hours
Computer Training on Wednesday mornings.
Simon House - PO Box 36, 1 Paradise Street - 01865 726241
Simon House, run by The Cherwell Housing Trust, provides short to medium term accommodation for vulnerable homeless people. Priorities are recovering alcoholics, people with mental health problems, drug abuse problems, older people, women, and people who are physically ill. There are 55 beds for men and women and provision for 3 couples. Residents are provided with three meals a day and care to meet their physical and emotional needs. There is daily access to a nurse at Simon House and a doctor at Luther Street. Occupational therapy, acupuncture, counselling and some psychiatric care is also available. There are laundry facilities, a computer room, a poolroom and three television lounges. There is 24 hour support with two staff available at night. Simon House is fully wheelchair accessible. Referrals are via Network agencies, Probation or Social Services. There is often a limited waiting list in operation as Simon House is usually full; whilst on the waiting list people can access most of the hostel facilities but must sleep elsewhere (e.g. at the Nightshelter).
Office opening hours : Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Stonham Housing Association
Stonham runs several supported accomodation projects throughout Oxford, catering for clients with a range of difficulties, including a history of drug use, offending, rough sleeping and imprisonment. Referrals should come through agencies such as a community mental health team.
Projects include:
Magellan House: 195 Iffley Road - 01865 243769
Rectory Road Project: 41/42 Rectory Road - 01865 790230
Dolphin: 195 Iffley Road or Office 6, Interzone House, 74-77 Magdalen Road - 01865 240840 or 297809
Roken House: 60 Lake Street - 01865 247489
81 Cowley Road: 81 Cowley Road - 01865 721329
Windmill House:157A Windmill Road - 01865 741132
