This summer, we want to bring sunshine into the lives of vulnerable adults experiencing multiple disadvantages with our Stronger Relationships, Brighter Futures campaign!

We are excited to officially launch the SSJ Academy. This comprehensive initiative has been designed to help residents and service users transform their lives through meaningful activity.

Bayard Rustin was one of the closest associates of Martin Luther King and an important figure in the civil rights movement. Rustin campaigned not only for the rights of African Americans but also the rights of the LGBTQ community. Rustin urged those who felt afraid…

Trevor’s Leaving Do On Friday, 17th May, SSJ’s Chief Executive, Trevor Pickup retired after 31 years of service to the charity and community. We celebrated Trevor’s achievements at his retirement party, where we enjoyed a delightful evening reminiscing on the incredible journey SSJ has taken…

What is trauma? Trauma. It’s a word we hear often, yet its actual impact on individuals can sometimes be missed or misunderstood. When we speak of trauma, we’re talking about experiences that shake a person to their core, leaving deep scars on their mind and…

A Touch of Magic, a Portsmouth based charity who chose SSJ as their cause for 2023, have been fundraising for us throughout 2023. They set a target of £10,000, but absolutely smashed it by raising £10,836! A Touch of Magic hosted a range of events…

We are delighted to announce the addition of Airport Lodge to the SSJ stable, our latest project aimed at providing housing and intensive resettlement support for individuals experiencing homelessness in the Farnborough and Aldershot areas.  Our dedicated team provides comprehensive, trauma-informed support, addressing a range…

After an extraordinary 31 years at the helm, Chief Executive Trevor Pickup is set to swap his leadership hat for a gardening fork as he retires from the Society of St. James (SSJ) in May 2024. Trevor’s dedication and leadership have become synonymous with the organisation, shaping its…

Trauma’s Role on Mental Health, Addiction and Homelessness Trauma can have a profound impact on an individual’s life, often serving as a catalyst for the triple crisis of mental health, addiction, and homelessness. Deep-seated emotional wounds may result in mental health disorders such as depression,…

I would like to express my thanks for the amazing help and input I’ve had from The Floating Support Service at the Society of St James and in particular Colin Howell and colleagues since January this year.  I’m doing a Masters degree in Clinical and…

Natasha’s journey with SSJ began as a client, marking the beginning of a transformative chapter in her life. Following her remarkable recovery, Natasha not only conquered personal challenges but also embraced a newfound purpose within the SSJ community. With unwavering dedication, she transitioned from being…

We are incredibly fortunate to have B&Q supporting our work here at SSJ. For the second time this year, as part of their annual Community Days programme, a team of B&Q employees worked tirelessly to transform the living space for residents that we are supporting…

Hi my name is Simone or Sim to those who love me. I was born kicking and screaming in Boscombe. When I was two my family and I moved in a quaint lil village, fair oak, surrounded by tall woods and fields of pasture. I…

We are delighted that NHS Property Services has chosen SSJ’s residents to be beneficiaries of their volunteering activities. A team of volunteers from NHS Property Services has recently completed two projects to improve the living spaces for some of our residents in Southampton. They have…

Richard John Kerr I came as a resident to Linden House on 21 November 2022, to recover from my alcohol addiction because I wanted to change my life and become sober and gain sobriety as my heavy drinking had caused me many problems including hospitalisation…

The increasing cost of living is having a huge impact on everyone but most painfully on those from deprived communities. Many of those individuals suffering economic inequality are residing in SSJ properties or are accessing one or more of the other services that we offer here…

As the Chief Executive of The Society of St James, a homelessness charity based in Hampshire, I welcome the latest report by the Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, which provides a comprehensive and urgent analysis of the current situation and the actions needed…

For over half my life I was an alcoholic, taking prescription and illegal drugs on a regular basis. I have lost too many friends to alcohol and drugs. Thankfully I have never been homeless, and I can’t fully imagine how tough this could be. Discovering…

SSJ is more than just a charity that provides housing and support services to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. SSJ is also a champion for people who are suffering from domestic abuse, which is a major cause and consequence of homelessness….

In this interview we introduce you to George, who started his career with a Society of St James accounts apprenticeship in 2019 before leaving to pursue a role as a trainee accountant in September 2023. We discuss George’s experience as an apprentice, his personal growth,…

One of our service users had served a 24-month sentence at HMP Winchester and was recalled to prison after failing to cope with his emotional and past issues in the community. He was using drugs and alcohol to self-medicate. He moved into the Gosport IOM…

Ben and Wendy have been associated with The Society of St James for a long time. Today, I had the opportunity to meet with them and learn about how SSJ has helped them reach the stable position they are in now.  Ben has struggled with…

At the Society of St James we see the true cost of alcohol on a daily basis and are therefore extremely supportive of Alcohol Change UK’s campaign. Alcohol Change UK’s theme this year is ‘Alcohol & Cost’ and they have put together a whole host of…

The Society of St James Academy is really starting to take shape ready for the big launch in 2024. Lucy and Rebecca, our newly appointed Academy Leads, have been working hard over the last few months to design a learning pathway that will appear on…

Patrick House is the location of one of SSJ’s Intensive Support Hostels and currently residing in one of the 57 rooms in the House in Millbrook is 23-year Jaike, pictured above with his support worker Natasha. Natasha and Jaike at Patrick House Last week I…

In late May, 21 residents from our Integrated Offender Management services will climb Mount Snowdon in Snowdonia National Park.   Integrated Offender Management (IOM) is funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and is a partnership approach involving The Society of…