Latest arrangements in response to the Coronavirus

Guests

We are still open for three sessions a week at St. John's Parish Rooms, Long Street, Devizes, SN10 1NS but guests are served at the porch door. You should only come at the times below if it is essential.

Come and see us if

you don't have a home to go to,
you don't have somewhere to cook a meal
you don't have somewhere to wash yourself or your clothes
you really need help contacting the right people at County Hall about housing problems
you need help contacting drug & alcohol support services

Come between

11.30am - 12.30pm Mondays

9.30am- 10.30am Wednesdays

5.00pm - 6.900pm Fridays

Volunteers

Each session runs like this:

Just three people are on duty in the Hall and one person either cooks at home or in St. John's kitchen. The cooked food is handed out in food boxes at the porch door. Clothing, laundry tickets, post and food bank referral forms are also available. Conversations about benefits and housing take place on a one at a time basis in the Hall. Turning Point staff are also on hand every Wednesday, with their van being parked in the Devizes Museum car park..

Everyone must wash their hands, wear masks and adher to the 2m social distancing rule. The tables across the porch door help to ensure this. Any guest who needs a conversation is allowed into the hall, must wash their hands and can then talk to the support worker, who will be separated from them by a screen.

We will continue to keep the Rough Sleepers team at County Hall informed of those who want help with housing. County will continue to follow these up and hopefully provide suitable, temporary accommodation for those who are rough sleeping.

Please text or phone 07828 041152 or email volunteersThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you think you can help.

What is Devizes Opendoors?

It is a charity that has been set up to help people in the Devizes Community Area to find solutions to homelessness; to offer support to local people when they are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and to benefit local individuals in need, including the marginalised and vulnerable.

Opendoors exists 100% for the benefit of others, in particular those who are homeless or at risk of becoming so. For the last few years it has provided three cooked meals a week at St. John’s Parish Rooms, Long Street and there are about 15 – 20 people there at most sessions. Along with the good food and company there is the chance of a shower and a few other things (see Opening Times).

John1Smal

The guests are a mixture of rough sleepers, those sleeping in sheds, vans and old boats, sofa surfers and those with their own homes but with issues that can make their tenancies vulnerable.

Caroline Angie The team has two paid staff, a coordinator and a deputy coordinator, and over 50 volunteers on a rota with 7 - 9 on per session. Together they prepare the food and the hall, welcome the guests and chat, serve meals and discuss issues in one-to-one conversations. Concerns that get followed up include health (mental and physical) issues, alcohol and drug dependency, criminal activity, financial matters and of course, housing issues.

A series of articles about those who access Opendoors services, and those who provide them.

Through the Opendoors...

SMILE!

We have signed up to Amazon Smile, and so we have a favour to ask; if you are doing any online shopping with Amazon and you would like a small percentage of the price to come to us, just follow the link below, and select Devizes Opendoors from the dropdown menu.

Thank you!

Volunteer Opportunity

Be a Devizes Opendoors Befriender

Give a homeless person a hand up - not a handout

Helping Hand Web 350x210

This autumn we are looking for people who can empathise and encourage.
We provide full training and you will join a supportive team of volunteer Befrienders.

Please click here to find out more, or contact John Saunders:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
07828 041152

Contact Details

If you are homeless, know someone who is, or concerned about someone at risk of becoming homeless we might be able to help. Please call: 07493 825258

To speak to a member of the team during our regular opening times please call: 07722 096046

If you are interested in volunteeering with us please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You might also like to take a look at our Volunteer section, where you can find more information or download our Autumn 2020 Volunteer Newsletter.

Any other enquiries? Please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go to our Contact Page.

Our sessions at St John's Parish Rooms are held on Mondays 11.30-1, Wednesdays 9.30-11 and Fridays from 5.15 to 6.30. Offering takeaway hot food and advice and guidance for rough sleepers primarily, but other vulnerably housed people can access our services in the last half hour of each session.

Thanks to the Wiltshire Community Foundation for their support of a grant of £5,000 a year for the next three years. The Foundation is an independent charity that gives grants and funding to the voluntary sector and charities across Wiltshire.

Going for 100

A new target for individual monthly giving from our wider friends and supporters.

Rachael Newsletter

Opendoors' trustee Rachael Ross explains about how having this regular income month in month out will help us plan ahead on a firmer foundation.

Click here to find out more...

It costs £25,000 each year to run Devizes Opendoors. We are dependent upon grants and donations for this money; we have no regular sources of funding. We are always grateful for any donations to our Charity. If you would like to donate, please click on the JustGiving icon below.