Embedded Files
We are now a registered charity No.1205353
Our vision is to provide:
Temporary accommodation - Relief from suffering and help for those in food poverty.
Join us to help those who have fallen on hard times and find themselves homeless, caught in a cycle of homelessness, food poverty and have nowhere safe to sleep.
Join us to help those who have fallen on hard times and find themselves homeless, caught in a cycle of homelessness, food poverty and have nowhere safe to sleep.
What can you do?
What can you do?
Any one of us could find ourselves here.
Any one of us could find ourselves here.
Show compassion to those who have fallen through the gap.
Show compassion to those who have fallen through the gap.
Volunteer some time to help people in need in practical ways.
Volunteer some time to help people in need in practical ways.
Help us fundraising.
Our thanks to Frank H Mann for their generous food support in 2024/2025 in supplying mushrooms, peppers tubs of cream.
These items will be used in the making of soup for our winter food trailer
We are being supported by Armadillio storage of Torquay for providing free storage for our charity. Their generosity in allowing us to use a 100 Sq Ft of storage is helping support the homeless in Torquay.
Would you like your local business to be shown here as supporting making a difference to their local community. Contact us
Would you like your local business to be shown here as supporting making a difference to their local community. Contact us
Statement of Clarification
Statement on New Footings Activities
New Footings is committed to supporting vulnerable communities through initiatives that align with our mission and adhere to the highest standards of governance. This year, we are proud to operate our food trailer to provide meals and support for the homeless.
We would like to clarify that New Footings is not running a night shelter this year. Additionally, since the resignation of Mark Gridley earlier this year, any activities he undertakes for the homeless are entirely independent and not connected to New Footings. We wish Mark well in his endeavours, and would like to underline that there is now no association between him and New Footings.
As a registered charity, we strictly adhere to Charity Commission guidelines to maintain transparency and accountability in all our operations. We remain focused on serving our community with integrity and care.
Thank you for your continued support.
— The New Footings Team
All our sponsors are recognised in our news letters and our weekly Facebook updates.
Without our sponsors, we would not be able to support the homeless. Thank you.
What we are proposing for the 2024 - 2025
Night Shelter
To be able to envision a future with hope
To be able to envision a future with hope
To help vulnerable individuals continue their lives with some guidance
To help vulnerable individuals continue their lives with some guidance
Venues
We are in conversation with multiple churches to discus the possibility of using their venues to host the night shelters. We aim to move the night shelter each night using different venues. We are working towards the night shelter working five weeks in Torquay, and five weeks Paignton, moving between different locations in both areas. Ideally, each church will look after the visitors each night with support from New Footings.
Training
We want to ensure that our training is continually improving, so we are running a mix of online and face-to-face training. The online training ensures that each volunteer has all the basic knowledge of the areas required to fulfil their role. This is based on the minimum training required in most voluntary organisations. Additionally, we will also be carrying out face-to-face training, in which a presentation wil be given to small interactive groups.
Specialist Training – Security Guard Training (SIA)
We will be looking for up to 14 volunteers to be fully trained and recognised in security training, known as SIA, which is the industry standard for security guards. The course will be fully funded by NFM and will enable individuals the ability to gain employment with other professional security companies outside the night shelter provision. If you would like to discuss this option, then please reach out and contact us.
Food Hygiene training
We have limited places for food hygiene training. Any volunteers that wish to cook or serve in the kitchen areas are required by law to hold a valid Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate.
Registration & Scheduling
Through our new volunteer platform, you will be invited to register and submit your availability for the night shelter, as well as other roles which will be made available in the near future. We know having discussed with many of our previous volunteers that they have skills we were not aware of that could have assisted us in the administration and day to day running of New Footings.
Prayer
All of this cannot be achieved without prayer. Prayer is allowing time to both reflect, gain clarification and draw closer to God and listen for His still small voice and to gain knowledge outside of our own human understanding.
Time for Prayer
We will be setting up weekly prayer meetings where you can drop in and out and join us as we pray together for the work of New Footings. We are more than aware there is and will be opposition to what we do as sometimes it is misunderstood in all camps and can be seen to be enabling the continuation of the homeless crises.
Helping up, Helping out
We have all heard the old saying used many times but indulge me. "Give a person a fish, feed them for a day, teach them how to fish and they can feed themselves and other too!" We are looking to make a lasting impact on those who come to the night shelter - not just by feeding them and giving them somewhere to sleep in safety. We will be offering individuals the option to have assistance with their Devon Home Choices Applications, registering with the doctors surgery and much more.
In Partnership
We are building on the work we completed last year and will be increasing our partnerships with local professional services to ensure that the areas we are not able to provide to our visitors, are signposted and supported to gain access to the help they need. Both physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and of course support for their addictions so they can regain the ability to live without these addictions. The police and hospital services regularly ask us if we have seen or can support others in accommodation long after the last night shelter closed.
The Future
As we discussed we have communicated our plans for the future for expandable pod homes is still on going and our look for both properties and land to facilitate, both emergency accommodation and short - medium term accommodation is still the direction we are moving in. We have looked at over 100 different venues and areas of land which might be able to accommodate the home pods. This has proven to be extremely difficult due to the ever changing legislation and the increasing costs we are all familiar with.
Winter Night Shelter provision
2023- 2024
We have had such an amazing team of volunteers - this year we have been completely overwhelmed by the generosity of our volunteers not just in time but also in their ability to connect with our homeless guests and the items they have donated and brought along.
We have worked with over 60 different volunteers over the 80 days we operated, as well as other who visited from local services to support the health of our homeless guests.
Total volunteer hours given over the 80 days were: 2075
Total beds night available 1600
Total bed nights used 1175*
Total Homeless 143 who registered for the service
Total Guests moved into accommodation 20
Total Coffees & Teas served 7,500
Total evening meal served 1400
Breakfast served 1250
Packed lunches 850
Tents given away 5
Sleeping Bags given away 45
Featured video
Featured video
Homelessness - The problem just keeps growing!
Want to volunteer?
Want to volunteer?
We have multiple opportunities for you to help: from cooks, cleaners, befrienders and night leaders there are dozens of ways to get involved. Click below to register
Our Charitable Aims
Our Charitable Aims
To provide safe temporary accommodation to homeless individuals.
We aim to provide security, food, clothing, and a non judgemental attitude to those who have nowhere to sleep.
Our Long Term Charitable Aims
Our Long Term Charitable Aims
To be able to provide longer term solutions for those who are trapped and unable to get accommodation.
We aim to provide a place of support and potential for change to give hope and longer term accommodation to those who cannot find anywhere to live.
We know that accommodation is in short supply and affordable accommodation is even more rare. We aim to provide a platform and a pathway to getting off the streets and into longer term accommodation, and eventually help these once homeless people to have a place to call home.
We need generous donors to supply necessities to our local community. Are you able to help? Click the button below to view a list of items we urgently need.
Page updated
Report abuse