We support vulnerable people in our local community by offering a warm place of care and refuge, a listening ear, companionship and direct practical help. We currently run a Community Cafè, provide free home-made soup and very low cost meals, operate a job club with 1:1 support for those with poor or no ICT or literacy skills, provide CBT counselling, and supply furniture, clothing and food parcels to those in need - both directly with proof of benefits, or by referral from local social services. We offer volunteering opportunities through our drop in tea room, community shop and allotment project. We have painting and Art therapy classes running as well as a craft club and have just received 3 years funding to provide 2 part-time Youth Workers to develop our existing work with young people.
We have recently been given a local storage facility for our furniture supply programme and have now transferred our furniture stocks to their own site. We are now currently developing links with existing partners and new organisations to extend our services in the local area. This has released areas of the Centre for refurbishment to provide even more support facilities.
Ashington Central is one of the 10% most deprived wards in the whole of Northumberland. Since opening our drop in service in January 2014, we have become aware of an ever-growing number of Ashington residents living with loneliness & isolation, health issues, substance misuse issues, food & fuel poverty and long term unemployment.
We are now in the process of installing showers and changing rooms, creating day bed/sitting rooms to relax or sleep in and provide a free laundry service for those who are homeless as well as access to our emergency food & clothing banks, provision of sleeping bags and other essential items and ongoing support.
Enjoy the video of Real Deal Plus intervew on BBC Newcastle.