In August, Thames Reach staff and clients were involved in the community cast of a production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It at Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, as part of a two-year partnership with the National Theatre. The production had fantastic reviews, including four stars from The Guardian, Gay Times and What’s On Stage among others.

A month after the curtains closed at the Queen’s Theatre, Thames Reach invited cast members and theatre staff to the Employment Academy for an informal event to discuss the project, reflect on their incredible achievements and think about how they will be going forward.

One participant said: “This has been an amazing experience. Getting to know people is really important but something I find hard to do – being in the show proved how rewarding it is. This project has been worth being sober for. Pressure is usually very triggering for me so I was worried about how that would work in rehearsals, and how I’d react, but the environment was so positive and supportive. Since doing the play I’ve gained a greater awareness of physical abilities and disabilities.”

Curtis said: “I’ve been feeling totally pumped since the show. I’ll always cherish and remember the experience. My confidence has improved and I’ve transformed as a human being off the stage.”

Kayode said: “I didn’t imagine how the show would end up; the version of me before I started the project would never have thought I’d be able to achieve this. It’s transformed my inner self confidence, it’s been liberating to challenge my limitations.”

Gemma said: “It was incredible to see how everyone dealt with the nerves, everyone was so encouraging and supportive. I have a new interest in community theatre, and would be interested to see other community shows.”

The press release for the production at Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, can be viewed here. 

Since April 2019, Thames Reach has secured over £3 million in additional funding. The funding, from the Ministry of Housing and Communities, has enabled Local Government to increase spending on homeless services across London.

Working in partnership with Lambeth, Newham, Greenwich, Hillingdon and Hackney we are now delivering new street outreach services, recruiting navigators to support rough sleepers to stay off the streets and testing ways of supporting clients from the EEA to access jobs and accommodation.

Thames Reach are also working closely with the Mayor of London, developing new services to rapidly move new rough sleepers off the streets.

These services have created new opportunities for people those wanting to join Thames Reach to build a career and help end homelessness.  

Click here to view all current roles based across London.

Marisa spent many years working with children after studying childcare in college. She went on to spend time as a playworker manager and then as a nursery nurse until one day she found herself unable to go to work – the stress of her job, of parenthood, the struggle of getting by day after day, had taken a serious toll on her mental health and she just couldn’t function anymore.

Struggling with depression, things began to get worse for Marisa, she felt utterly unable to discuss her problems with her partner and she couldn’t handle bills or deal with her housing situation. Her son went to live with her mother and soon she lost her flat along with everything inside it. She had just had the place refurbished.

Marisa spent several months sofa surfing, feeling lost and isolated without a place of her own. She eventually began receiving support for her mental health from an organisation who referred her on to Thames Reach Greenwich, where she was offered a place in the Greenwich Hub –  a supported accommodation project with onsite psychologists providing specialist, tailored healthcare to residents. 

In a more secure living environment, and with onsite psychological support to hand, Marisa now feels more confident and more able to open up and share her difficulties. She has been at the Hub for four months and continues to receive support for her mental health.

She has also been making use of the Thames Reach Employment and Skills team, which helps people to access training and employment opportunities. She has had help with writing a new CV and is now feeling ready to try and get back into work.

“I’ve been using all the resources available. They offer you so many opportunities at Thames Reach. I really want to make the most of them,” she said.

Thames Reach support worker Robin, who works at the Greenwich Hub, said of Marisa: “It’s been great to see her develop her talents. She is determined to move forward and return to work, and hopefully secure long term accommodation. She has used this time to plan for the future and make changes towards this. Marisa has made use of the support available from local services, and at the same time we’ve seen her confidence grow.”       

With her mental health in a better place than it’s been for a long time, and with the confidence to share and open up, Maria’s aim now is to get her own flat and then to do a health and social care apprenticeship so she can t finish her Level 3 Health and Social Care course and get further work in the care sector.

“I feel like I have a chance now to improve my situation and I really want to develop personally and professionally to move forward with my life,” she said.

Following the Queen’s Birthday Honours list being released on 8th June, Thames Reach are thrilled to announce that lead outreach worker, Terri Filkins, has been awarded an MBE, with the presentation ceremony being held in the next two months. Terri has been working at Thames Reach for sixteen years, and we spoke with her about the exciting news.

Terri, congratulations on your MBE! How did you find out and how did you feel?

The letter came in the post one morning and initially I was a bit sceptical as to what it might be, I thought it was a spoof. I was in complete shock when I read the letter, and it still hasn’t sunk in! I’ve had to keep it secret for weeks and I’ve been bursting at the seams to tell people. The letter did say I could tell my employer so I went to see Bill the same day and he pretended to know nothing about it…

What’s your career history prior to Thames Reach?

Straight out of school I worked for Lewisham council. I have worked for local authorities, housing associations and for a time was HR manager in retail; my passion is working with people, and luckily I’ve been able to do that throughout my career. I always wanted to be a police officer, but after going through all the training and induction, I lasted one day in the job. The role was wrapped up in brutal law enforcement at the time, and I was asking questions about why people commit crimes, and was thinking a lot about prevention rather than punishment. They suggested I would be better off being a social worker. I went back into housing after that, for a number of local authorities in London; I took their advice and trained as a social worker while at Thames Reach, which the charity supported.

How long have you been with Thames Reach and how has your role at Thames Reach changed over the years?

I’ve always worked in homelessness but have been with Thames Reach for around sixteen years in a variety of posts. At the beginning I was interviewed by Vicky Mansall, who no longer works at Thames Reach, and we remain close friends. I started in tenancy sustainment, when the solution to rough sleeping was thought to be putting homeless people straight into flats without support, which unsurprisingly didn’t work. After this I was based at Southwark Reach for a number of years. I managed the service for a short time, and although I’ve had a few managerial positions, holding these roles mean spending less time with clients, which is really what I want to be doing. Having the opportunity to influence and shape services is definitely a benefit, though. When we won the bid for Lambeth Community Options I help set it up, working alongside Bill again, about eight years ago. Now I’m back from secondment at Lewisham, I am Lead Outreach Worker at London Street Rescue for Lewisham and Bromley, where I work with all rough sleepers in the two boroughs.

What have been your most memorable moments?

I once accompanied a client out of kidney dialysis; we were on the bus and he began drinking wine from the bottle, while telling me how he wanted to stay alive for his daughter. The support was clearly still needed but for me there was no logic between his desire to be here for his daughter and the need to continue drinking. Another client that I will never forget had been sleeping rough under a bush for many years, defiantly refusing offers to come in. Then, on a freezing cold night I asked him yet again to come off the streets. His answer was: “I’ve been rough sleeping for 7 years, 8 months and 24 days”, then he got in the car to go to temporary accommodation. My passion for what I do will never waver but there are still some things that I cannot understand.

As you’ve said that you’ve always worked in homelessness and love working directly with clients, what keeps you inspired and motivated on a daily basis?

I tend to gravitate towards the more complex clients; I marvel at the resilience of people, how they can do and achieve so much. This is through accepting support, working together, but most of all it is through their strength to persevere and improve their lives. I enjoy working for Thames Reach because we always push the agenda of homelessness with the same amount of enthusiasm, whether it is in the spotlight or not. No two days are ever the same; having to think on my feet and be flexible keeps me motivated. I respect the fact that I can’t do my work alone; teamwork and relying on different partnerships keeps ideas and actions fresh and relevant.

 I truly love working with Thames Reach and am proud of the work we do. Over the years we’ve achieved a lot of wins and are continuing to make profoundly positive changes to people’s lives.

Bill Tidnam, Thames Reach chief executive, said: “Terri thoroughly deserves this award which recognises the excellent and committed work that she does and has done in lots of different teams.  Terri is the embodiment of Thames Reach’s ethos of never giving up on people, while believing that they can make real and lasting changes in their lives, and has touched many people’s lives in her work.  The award is also a recognition of the hard work and commitment of all our staff, wherever they work, and I’m very proud for Terri and for Thames Reach.”

Recently housed, Gary is now enjoying the sense of freedom that can come with living in your own home.

When he was younger, Gary had begun forging a career as a judicial clerk for a number of criminal solicitors and worked in chambers at the High Court. At the time, he was one of only a few black people working in the legal profession in London and encountered a considerable lack of respect and recognition in his work place. He began to see no future for himself as a solicitor and eventually left the profession after seven years.

Gary’s family had struggled to accept his sexuality and, when he learned that he was HIV positive, he felt forced to move out, and soon became estranged from them. He spent some time living with a friend, and when that friend sadly passed away, he decided to move to New York, where he lived for the next eight years.

During his time in the United States, Gary’s health seriously declined. He returned to the UK very unwell but had nowhere to go, and so began a damaging period of homelessness.

“I was homeless for 14 months,” said Gary. “I remember every month, every day.”

Gary spent this time moving in and out of hostels and temporary accommodation. He found hostel environments overwhelming, and homelessness began to have a serious detrimental effect on his mental and physical wellbeing. He self-harmed and considered taking his own life.

A very reserved and private man, all Gary wanted was to be able to live in his own space independently. Eventually, he was helped to begin the process of finding independent accommodation but soon he faced a gruelling series of bureaucratic hurdles. 

Time after time he was told he didn’t fit the criteria or that there was an issue with his referral. One door closed after another and he remained extremely unwell. Sometimes he was violently sick for days.

When he could, Gary would spend up to eight hours a day queuing at the local civic centre, attempting to untangle the issues surrounding his housing application.

Eventually, Gary was referred to Thames Reach via Look Ahead – a charitable housing association which is now part of Thames Reach services, where support workers were able to help him access his own flat.

Gary is now being supported by Thames Reach’s Brent Reach floating support service – where support workers visit people in their homes, helping tenants become more social and independent as well as supporting with daily tasks such as budgeting, computer skills and their physical and mental health.

 “The only reason I can talk about my past so willingly and calmly now is because of the tremendous support I received when I came into contact with Thames Reach,” he said.

“You know when people deal with you on a human basis, well that’s what I found here.

“They were comforting and supportive and got me into my own environment and gave me the foundation I needed. I never thought, after everything, that I would get this kind of support,” he added.

With support from Thames Reach’s Tenancy Sustainment Team, Gary’s health has improved. He is now adding his own personal touches to his new flat, turning it into a real home. He feels an immense sense of relief that he finally living independently again.

 “My flat is so bright and airy. I feel a lightness, I feel a weight off my shoulders. I’m elated. I don’t feel stifled, I can think and feel again.’

The Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) statistics for the period 1 July  – 30 September 2018 show a worrying rise in the number of people sleeping rough in London, with a 17% rise on the same period last year and a 20% rise on the preceding quarter.

There has been a very concerning rise in the number of people new to the streets. The number of new rough sleepers has risen 28% on the preceding quarter and 20% on the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, the number of people sleeping on the streets for intermittent periods is 22% higher than during the same quarter in 2017.

The latest statistics also show a small rise in the number of people from Central and Eastern Europe sleeping rough. Thames Reach remains very concerned about this group who now represent 28% of the total number of rough sleepers in London. This group often have very limited options.

Thames Reach chief executive Bill Tidnam said: ‘We hope that the new initiatives being developed by central government and the Greater London Authority, working alongside local authorities, will soon begin to make a difference to these figures, ensuring that anyone sleeping rough gets the help they need to leave the streets quicker and stay off them for good.’

Martha Jones House is Thames Reach’s newest hostel for rough sleepers, housing up to 50 residents in Vauxhall.

The building replaces Graham House – Thames Reach’s former flag-ship hostel, which was decommissioned at the beginning of November, 2018.

Although Martha Jones House is still Thames Reach’s largest hostel, it symbolises an important change in thinking towards smaller services that can offer more targeted one to one support.

The new hostel also offers a mix of larger bed spaces and self-contained flats complete with kitchen space and washroom facilities ensuring that it can cater for a much wider range of needs and abilities.

With an IT suite, communal space for group activities and access to all of Thames Reach’s employment training programmes, the hostel is better equipped to support and encourage residents to become more self-reliant and independent.

Monica Geraghty, lead manager at Martha Jones House, said:

“The transition from Graham House to Martha Jones House went really well, and all residents have now moved in.

“The building looks extremely different to Graham House with much more space, and has been developed to a very high and sustainable specification.

“The ultimate aim for our residents is for them to move away from homelessness and move on to lead a fulfilling life, and the new hostel encourages self-sufficiency and development in a nice comfortable setting,” she said.

The new building accepts pets and allows people with complex needs including drug and alcohol problems, poor mental health and challenging behaviour to stay for up to nine months

Thames Reach service users put on three truly powerful performances at the National’s Olivier Theatre alongside 200 other cast members.

Pericles, written by William Shakespeare and adapted by writer Chris Bush from the National Theatre, was the first production in the Public Acts initiative – a new programme of sustained partnerships with communities and theatres across the UK, working to create ambitious new works of theatre.

Rehearsals took place at the Employment Academy in Camberwell over the last 10 months, where service users and staff worked hard in preparation for their big stage debut.

Through this project, Thames Reach service users have been able to build their confidence, work as part of a team and most importantly, have some fun whilst making new friends within a creative space.

Thames Reach service user, Gary Green, spoke about how Public Acts has helped to improve his confidence saying:

“On the first day of rehearsals, I didn’t want to say my name. If you’d have asked me to speak in front of 100 people, I would have said no. But I’m pleased to say I have done that now”.

After having his foot amputated some years ago due to a serious gangrene infection, Gary struggled with finding suitable employment and battled with low self-esteem as he adapted to his new lifestyle.

“I always felt hidden and like people couldn’t see me, but being part of Pericles has made me feel human again”.

Pericles is the story of a Prince who has everything, yet understands very little about the world. After being separated from his family and banished from his kingdom, Pericles embarks on a voyage of discovery encountering different communities and kind strangers along the way as he tries to find his way home.

As the story unravels, it becomes a question of what ‘home’ and ‘family’ really means, and only by reaching the end of the earth may Pericles finally understand what it truly means to come home.

Through this adaptation, the audience were treated to a delightful, energetic and surprising mix of acrobatics, cheerleading, a drag performance and waacking, as well as ska music, gospel singing and a club anthem – all carefully assembled to depict the diverse cultures and communities in London.

The show felt inspiring, uplifting and oh so heartwarming. It was a true celebration of people coming together from different backgrounds and succeeded in achieving exactly what the Public Acts initiative set out for; ‘to empower service users through the act of creating theatre together’.

Another Thames Reach service user, Percy Hammond, became homeless a few years ago and often slept rough on the streets and in local parks. Support workers at Croydon Reach found and helped Percy, and supported him to find accommodation before connecting him with the Tenancy Sustainment Team and staff at Thames Reach Employment Academy for support with his mental health issues. Percy said:

“Being part of Pericles really saved my life. I was lost, and it gave me a routine, occupied my mind and gave me hope for a better tomorrow.

“What I have been through is something that can happen to real and ordinary people, and I am eternally grateful for the project and the directors and crew who encouraged us and made us feel excited. It felt good to entertain someone”.

Virginia Croft, Basic Skills Coordinator at Thames Reach said:

“Thames Reach would like to say a huge well done and congratulations to all the cast and crew for their hard work and extraordinary efforts in this production.

“People who have felt they had to hide for most of their lives have literally become centre stage.

“We have seen a stupendous change in the way clients walk, talk and hold themselves – it is just amazing.

“We hope that this is a starting point for all the clients, volunteers and staff who took part to believe they can face their challenges head on.

“Everyone should be extremely proud of what they have achieved and we look forward to seeing more Public Acts performances in the future”.

In true theatre style, the show must go on, and the next series of workshops and rehearsals will begin at the Employment Academy in Camberwell in October, ready for the next big production in August 2019.

All partners of the Public Acts initiative include; Body & Soul, The Bromley by Bow Centre, Coram, DABD, Faith and Belief Forum, Havering Asian Social Welfare Association (HASWA), Open Age, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Thames Reach.

Photo: Credit to James Bellorini

Pericles ran at the National’s Olivier Theatre from 26 – 28 August.