Cricklewood Homeless Concern (CHC), established in 1983 is a voluntary sector charity comprising a Day Centre and a residential unit located in the Borough of Brent with a catchment area of North West London. The centre is a registered charity (no. 294000). It is the only facility of its kind in Brent that addresses the needs of all those living in insecure housing, hostels or are street homeless. Many of the clients are vulnerable, suffering drug and alcohol addiction or other mental health problems, resulting in social isolation and exclusion. CHC has forged partnerships with both the statutory and voluntary sectors and includes Brent Social Services, Brent and Harrow Health Authority, Brent Community Alcohol Services, Rough Sleepers Unit and Safe in the City. Its effective delivery of services is further helped by the support of an active group of volunteers from both the existing client group and the community. The day centre offer a range of services from hot meals and washing facilities to specialist services such as housing advice and mental health support. The residential Unit is a six-bedded facility for people recovering from alcohol problems. Over 600 people benefit from CHC each year. In February 2008 we wil return to our new purpose built community resource centre after raising £3.5million for the purchase of the old site and the building of a new much improved one.

Our Vision-

Our Vision?
Rebuilding lives, developing communities

Mission Statement?
‘We will do everything in our power to enable vulnerable people live independently within the community’


We will do this by:-

Providing an accessible and welcoming service through our Day Centre, which is open six days a week.

Ensuring an environment which recognises and welcomes diversity

Providing the widest possible range of services either from within our own

Encouraging service users to take a lead part in the design and implementation of care packages

Providing housing and welfare services, which respond to the immediate housing need and also to long term needs in a sustainable way

To develop services which meet the emotional, educational and vocational needs of service users

Programmes and Activities-

SERVICES

Housing advice and support – identifying accommodation and supporting service users with related issues e.g. furniture and fittings and sorting out benefits

Domiciliary support – helping service users to maintain their tenancies, especially those at risk of losing their homes due to substance misuse and mental ill-health

Education and Training – offering service users access to e.g. literacy and numeracy and ITC training

Providing for basic needs – hot meals, washing and laundry facilities and primary care project in the form of GP, nurse, dentist, chiropodist and optician, mental health support

Residential project offering therapeutic support to service users with alcohol problems