Welcome to Devizes Opendoors

Changes to our response to the Coronavirus (Covid 19)

We are open for three sessions a week. These take place at the usual times and we have now returned to serving our guests inside St. John's Parish Rooms. However, at the moment we are only serving takeaway hot food, and other food items and offering clothing, primarily for rough sleepers. There is a time available in the last half hour of each session for other vulnerable guests to attend. We have stuck with our usual days: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Each session runs like this: two people cook on their own in St. John's kitchen. It is then taken into the hall, where other staff and volunteers help with the distribution of the food, laundry tickets and post and also help to maintain the 2 metre social distancing rule. Foodbank referral forms are also made available. Conversations about clothing, benefits and housing needs take place. Turning Point staff also attend every Wednesday, with their van being parked in the Devizes Museum car park..

Volunteers who are prepared to be involved in this way have already been contacted but we are also looking for some new volunteers. If more people become homeless (for whatever reason) they could 'replace' those who have recently moved on to better things.

We will continue to keep the Rough Sleepers team at County Hall informed of those we know who are rough sleeping. County will continue to follow these up and hopefully provide suitable, if temporary, accommodation, especially in the case of those with underlying health issues.

Please text or phone 07828 041152 or email This 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).

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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.

Like to find out more about? Click to download our Autumn 2020 Volunteer Newsletter.

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

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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.