The idea
We have plans to refurbish the kitchen at The Upper Room, to dramatically improve the quality of services on offer as well increase our capacity. This, along with a new computer training room, will make The Upper Room an important homeless services hub for West London.
Both aspects of this project will have huge positive impacts.
1. The new and improved kitchen - Food draws in the marginalised, brings people together and reduces social isolation. Free meals are at the very heart of what we do and are key to the trust-building process.
2. The new training room - Our UR4Driving students will use the computer training room by day to study for their theory test. In the evening the room will be used to run health & wellbeing therapeutic workshops for our homeless and vulnerable guests.
This refurb cannot happen without your help! Please pledge what you can - just £5 will go a long way.
What we'll deliver
- Refurbish kitchen with new flooring.
- Build a training room.
- Buy 8 new laptops for our training room for UR4Driving.
Why it's a great idea
We are building an entire new floor in the church which will double our available work space. Work is due to start on 25th March and is due to be complete in August 2019. This should dramatically improve the work space for beneficiaries, staff and volunteers. To date all our services have taken place in the dining hall. This is far from ideal as it can be noisy, with one-to-one sessions being carried out, as well as an ESOL class of 10 people, alongside UR4Driving students practising for their theory test, with UR4Jobs beneficiaries using the computers to look for work, and with a food delivery of many crates of food! Not to mention the fact that the Chief Executive doesn't have an office and is 'hot-desking' ....
Not only will the new space improve working conditions but it will also enable us to increase capacity so that we can help even more people.
Steps to get it done
- Refurbishment of kitchen to start in July 2019.
- Creation of training room to start in July 2019.
UR4Driving has achieved amazing results. Since 2010, 195 ex-offenders have obtained a driving licence and gained the motivation to move their lives forward. Approximately half have found work, or entered into further education, within 6-9 months of completing the programme. A recent Evaluation showed that only 30% of participants re-offended within a five-year period.
