Donation a boost to local homeless charity

Monday, 7 August 2023 01:00

Salisbury Trust for the Homeless (STFH) has received a donation of £1,000 from Wiltshire Freemasons.

STFH will use the donation towards its vital work helping people turn their lives around and get back to independent living.

John Reid, head of Wiltshire Freemasons, visited STFH’s offices in Fisherton Street, Salisbury, to make the presentation.

He met up with Gordon Pardy, Head of Fundraising for STFH, and Charlotte Davies, the charity’s Service Manager.

John said: “We asked members of our lodges whether there is a cause particularly close to their hearts, and it was clear that tackling homelessness was high up their list of priorities.”

Part of the donation came from Wiltshire Freemasons lodges and part from the Masons Charitable Foundation, a central fund that has distributed £33 million to good causes around England and Wales.

Gordon Pardy said: “We are extremely grateful to Wiltshire Freemasons for this very generous gift.

"We receive no funding from either central or local government and so we are very much dependent on financial help from individuals and organisations in Wiltshire.”

STFH has helped hundreds of people turn their lives around in recent years.

Founded in 1987, initially providing rough sleepers with a bed for the night, STFH now provides a long-term solution by providing accommodation and support for single people over eighteen who have become homeless.

The charity helps them regain confidence and self-esteem, learn life skills, find education, training and employment opportunities, and access permanent accommodation so returning to independent living.

Support needs include mental health issues, learning disability, emotional support, drug and alcohol misuse, anti-social behaviour, budgeting, benefits claims and tenancy support.

STFH owns five houses in Salisbury and rents another four. It runs a tight ship financially, with the only paid employees being three support workers.

At the same time, everybody else, from the members of the Board to those responsible for fundraising, are volunteers.

About 50 people volunteer their time to help the charity.