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…

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Elaine at our Community Day Rehab (CDR) in Portsmouth. She is an inspirational lady, in recovery, who agreed to speak to me about her abseil fundraiser and why she is doing it. Whilst I was privileged and…

Dentaid The Dental Charity, have been visiting our projects to bring a smile back to our residents faces.  We are extremely grateful for Dentaid’s work and the support that they have given to our residents over the last year.  They have provided 17 mobile clinics…

We are proud to support International Women’s Day 2023 and the theme this year is Embracing Equity. Here we talk about the issues faced by women who are homeless, what we are doing to better support them and how you can help. Find out more…

Our Asset and Housing management teams brought another 6 self-contained flats online in Southampton last week and welcomed the 6 new residents.  All 6 flats are ring-fenced for those that have either been homeless or have been at risk of becoming homeless due to their vulnerability.  This brings us to a…

SSJ will be launching the new Academy in 2024 to provide a full timetable of meaningful activity including sports, crafts, learning and employment pathways for individuals that we support who have a history of homelessness and other support needs. In the meantime, our new Re-Set…

“It was a gift for sure” said Simon who is homeless and supported by the Rough Sleeping Support Service (RSSS) in Portsmouth. Simon was talking about his appreciation for the free January haircut he and other residents of an RSSS hostel received. Shannon Droxford and…

We’ve been supporting people affected by homelessness for 50 years – and every year we raise money to provide a hot meal or gift to people in our services at a time when they can feel alone. You, our supporters, made a huge difference for…