Our work at Barnabas House highlighted the need to provide temporary accommodation for single men. In 1995 we were fortunate to acquire Barnards Cross House, the hostel for nurses at the Infirmary. This is a huge
building and was somewhat daunting to all of us when we stepped out in faith to purchase it.

It was far too big for our needs as a Hostel, or so we thought, but we had other ideas on how it could be utilized to benefit the wider Community.

Having acquired it we opened 35 more rooms for the homeless. Whilst it was opened to house homeless men, due to it's size and structure we have been able to extend it to house women and couples and for a time it also had a small family unit. There is clearly an enormous need for housing in this area. We only provide temporary shelter, but all our residents are looking for somewhere permanent that they can afford. Most not only suffer the indignity of homelessness but also they are unemployed. This led us to look for ways to improve both their quality of life and their chances of finding work.

With this in mind, we started applying for funding to establish a Day Centre. Our first aim is to LISTEN to the needs of our clients and then seek challenging ways of addressing these needs. We already have been successful in partnering with the C.A.B. and Salisbury College. C.A.B. have provided advice on hand and the College ran a series of courses to develop the skills of our clients, both resident and non-resident.
We also aim to run many activities away from our base and, in time, to develop some work experience programmes.

The Lottery Charities Board awarded us one third of a million pounds for this work in 1996 over a three year period, which got us off to an excellent start. As well as funding salaries and equipment, it has facilitated the purchase of a 16 seater Mini Bus.

At the end of 2000 we received £230,000 from an ESF bid to continue developing this service.
At our site at Barford St. Martin we have a well-equipped woodworking facility and a computer suite and training room. We are developing new activities, which will include pottery, weaving and bricklaying courses. We are also looking at developing close links with a local school on an environmental science project through which we hope to reclaim some derelict ground to develop a pond.

On some adjoining land we hope to erect some poly tunnels and develop a horticultural project to help move clients on into independence.

Again in Bristol in March 2003 we opened The Well, a 5-bed unit for women seeking to leave behind a life of drugs and work in the sex industry. Working with the same group of Christians above we have been able to make these two projects happen. We were also grateful to a benefactor who purchased the two properties for us to safeguard the revenue funding we had been promised.
A major appeal is now underway to purchase these properties.

March 2003 was a very busy time for us. We also opened Andrew House, a 10-bed second stage rehab unit in Clevedon, Somerset. Here we work closely with a very committed group of Christians predominantly from the local Baptist church.

In July 2003 we merged with KASH that operates a Drop In Centre, a hostel known as Ruth House and two Supported Houses for young people Faith House and Luke House. These are all based in Devizes.

In 2003 we opened a further supported housing project for three adults with learning difficulties. Whilst not a community in the same sense as Emmaus House it offers round the clock care and support helping the young men to greater independence.

As we go to print we have just agreed to take on the management of a drop in centre in Trowbridge, Wiltshire and other related projects run by Action on Homelessness leading to a full merger in 2004.

We now have three Drop In Centres operating within Wiltshire catering for more than 100 people a day.