Crawley Open House unveils new resource centre to help homeless community with employment and life skills

The homeless charity supports people suffering the effects of homelessness and hardship across West Sussex.

The new facility (located near the original site) features a learning area, open kitchen and workshop.

In conjunction with specialist partners, the new facility will offer a schedule of classes and workshops that are designed to give increased confidence and skills to those seeking to get back to the worlds of education, training and employment.

The grand opening included representatives from the many companies and organisations who have funded and supported the development of the new centre.

CEO of Crawley Open House Charlie Arratoon said: “Over the last 28 years Crawley Open House has supported thousands of people from our base in Three Bridges. We are incredibly excited about this brand new ground breaking project.

“The Crawley Open House Resource Centre will be a base for learning, education and support with practical help to enable people to get the skills, support and confidence they need for the next chapter of life.

“We are eternally grateful to all the companies, individuals and organisations who have helped fund this project – it’s really going to change the lives of so many people in the coming months and years.”

Among the local businesses to support the cost of the new centre is B&CE.

CEO of B&CE, Patrick Heath-Lay, said: “I’ve been lucky enough to witness the transformation of the Crawley Open House facility from close quarters and this development will make a huge difference to some of society’s most vulnerable people.

“B&CE is extremely proud to have been able to support this extraordinary local charity with a donation, which has been put to fantastic use as part of this inspirational project.”

See more: Crawley Secondary School selected to compete in finals of national technology competition, West Sussex libraries ‘Go Gadgeteer’ crazy with this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, West Sussex schools take in hundreds of Ukrainian refugee pupils

Crawley Open House offers short-term accommodation for 24 men and women in their high-support homeless hostel in Three Bridges, as well as 33 move-on beds across five houses in Crawley and a unit above the hostel. Its community outreach service, drop-in day centre, specialist advice teams and emergency food parcel distribution service via the Crawley Foodbank Partnership continue to help thousands every year.