2021 Allotment Update

Grantham Poverty Concern - Registered Charity : 1060003

Now our resource centre is open, our clients have the ability to shower and wash their clothes. We are also looking to start other assistance for computer use and benefits advice.

We are planning to open the centre more often during the winter months to provide better care for our clients.

HELP

SELF-WORTH

MEALS

Check out our Instagram page !

Daily meals plus family support 

We provide assistance to our clients through support, outreach, warm clothing, sleeping bags and foil blankets and the provision of food parcels and ​gas / electricity top-ups.  In extreme weather we also provide emergency B&B accommodation.

Family Food parcels

Providing support and assistance for the 

homeless and vulnerable

of Grantham and surrounding area

The Passage provided over 11,000 meals to our clients in 2019 for free, 365 days of the year. 
Our 2020 to 2021 COVID food parcel support distributed 140,000+ food items to those most in need in our local community.

Please see the meals page for more information.

Grantham & District Poverty Concern Group was formed in 2001 by Ruby Stuckey MBE to support vulnerable members of the local community and its aims continue to be the relief of both poverty and homelessness. It incorporates the Grantham Passage ("The Passage") which offers through various churches in Grantham on seven days a week a free, safe and non-judgmental meeting place, company, hot food and drink, assistance with access to services, responsible agencies and other community support. It maintains an ‘open door' policy whereby assistance is given, after inquiry, to any applicant accepted as otherwise destitute or in need of support. 

We provide signposting, information on benefits and assistance with filling in forms, counselling to those in a desperate situation, advice, medical assistance and help to arrange appointments or getting to the hospital.  We can and have provided crisis loans, help with food and clothing, electricity and gas.  In instances where unfortunately our clients pass away we work very hard to ensure that the family (sometimes estranged) are made aware via notices in the local or semi-local papers. We also ensure that Trustees attend the funerals to speak to family or friends as we find this often helps the closure process.
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Our experience shows that there are a small but persistent number of people in Grantham without shelter of any kind and there is also a significant number of 'hidden homeless'.  The help and support we provide represents a way back for those who have fallen on hard times for whatever reason, the main conditions include mental health issues, dependency on drugs or alcohol, ex-offending, eviction, break-up with partner and many are struggling to overcome substance abuse. Families account for a proportion of our service users and approximately 30 clients attend each session of the Passage. Our support is provided 365 days a year for our clients to ensure that there are no days that they are without food or support.

Grantham Poverty Concern and Grantham Passage are entirely funded by donations and staffed entirely by volunteers.  We do not receive any financial assistance from the local Council, national agency or other sources to continue our work.

Volunteers undertake all of the work of the charity and these are greatly valued. More will always be needed to come forward if the work is to continue and to be developed further. We now have a permanent centre with washing and laundry facilities and other remedial support. For a more permanent overnight centre Grantham Poverty Concern is looking towards partnership with the local authority and has a representative presence on South Kesteven District Council homelessness forum as well as being part of Homeless Link. Homeless Link is a group of charities dedicated to ending homelessness and more information can be found on their website here.
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Grantham Poverty Concern and The Passage is managed by a board of elected Trustees who oversee the direction, financial stability and ethos of the charity to ensure that all those in need are helped to the best extent we can.  Through the work of the Passage, several of our clients have risen out of their difficult situations to become volunteers themselves or gain full time employment.

If you are looking to volunteer at the Grantham Passage please fill in the form below and we will contact you. Places are not always immediately available but we will keep your details on file (with your permission) for when they do.