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Our Impacts and Testimonials

At the Gatehouse we achieve a huge number of positive outcomes for our guests across an extensive range of services. These are monitored and regularly reviewed to ensure that we are following an appropriate strategy and providing maximum benefit to our guests in a way that truly reflects their needs.

You will note on our website and publicity materials that there are no photographs or videos of the Guests that use the Gatehouse services. This is because we have a no photography/video policy on site to protect the anonymity, privacy and dignity of guests.

Instead, we capture our impact using other methods which include testimonials, snapshots of our work, anonymised case studies, story methodology and capturing qualitative data on the work that we do. We also have very simple procedures to ensure that we are reviewing our service provision in an equal access approach.

Below are just some of the impacts we have achieved and guest feedback that we have received over recent years. You can read more in our Annual Impact Reports available to download on the News page.

Community Centre & Café

I wouldn't be here without the Gatehouse, doesn't really convey just how important they really have been and continue to be. I'm really not exaggerating when I say that not only has the Gatehouse fed me, clothed me and kept me warm but they have also been one of the only truly consistent forms of emotional support that I've had over the last year
“All of the team at the Gatehouse who I have engaged with are remarkable and all share a unique quality that is ever so hard to define unlike many other charities and organizations of the same nature, the team at the Gatehouse have treated me like an individual and as an equal and never judged me for my needs and abilities or lack thereof”
“I found the Gatehouse Charity by chance I recall and left a voicemail message - only half expecting a response. A Caseworker telephoned and was an immediate tower of strength to me. She just blew in from nowhere and listened and empathized and gave me immediate relief. I just wanted you to know that, when a (client) and their parents need care and empathy which is very often hard to find, we truly found it at the Gatehouse; it has been and continues to be something of a lifeline to us.”
“No one ever sets out to become homeless, we are all only a few bad experiences away from it, and within work poverty, cost of living and energy prices more are pushed over the edge. This is not irredeemable. Each case is unique. With time, care and detailed work individuals can help themselves up and out. Back to an independent life they hope for.” – Experienced Gatehouse Volunteer

Guest Interviews

Casework Team

“Since being supported by the Gatehouse I do believe that not only my self-esteem has improved, my chances of employment have improved, my mental well-being has improved, and my all round feeling of positivity.”
“It was such a relief when I found out that there was an organisation like yours that have dedicated staff who want to go the extra mile.”
“With the help of the Gatehouse and caseworker I have managed to maintain my tenancy and now working with the council to sort out my rent arrears.”
“Thank you (Caseworker) for helping me out with finding donors for my immigration case. It has been a very long wait. I finally got a response from the lawyer and the application has been approved and granted by the home office I will know the full details tomorrow. And will update you. Blessings to you and your family.”

Women’s Space

“I come to the women’s hub as it’s a safe place to talk.”
“I come to the women’s hub as I was feeling isolated.”
“Coming to the women’s group has given me confidence in being around people and being able to chat to other women.”

LEAF

“You are not alone when you are part of LEAF and you can get your voice heard”
“LEAF is a positive place to be listening, sharing and making a difference”
“LEAF is a place where we can start bringing positive change from our lived experience”
“All those years on the street can be turned into something positive to help others because we know what it’s like and express it to those who have not lived it”
“Wow, where do I start!! LEAF are brilliant!! I am amazed how my life has changed in just 6/7 months. I do keep thinking is this really happening?!! Since you asked if I would like to be involved in LEAF, things keep getting better. I really enjoy contacting people who have been through a similar situation to me. When I say 'enjoy', I don't mean enjoy knowing that someone else has had a rough time but enjoy that hopefully from them talking to someone who also went through things that there is hope and a positive future no matter how far down the scale you have gone that things are achievable. LEAF have also made me feel that I am not a worthless case and have really helped with my confidence. When I first attended I felt that I had really messed up and lost everything but bit by bit my confidence grew, not only from LEAF but also other services. LEAF in particularly helped as I was given responsibility, LEAF have also offered training courses which I'm looking forward to. The Community Champions course we went on has also helped me become a volunteer with a local charity.”

Interview with a LEAF member

Feedback from one of LEAF’s Coproduction partners

“I can't emphasise enough how important the involvement of LEAF is in this process - you are one of the few areas to be doing "genuine" involvement of lived experience in service development... This is very rare when you look at the other areas...”
Dr Michelle Cornes, Senior Research Fellow, Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King's College London

Snapshots of our bespoke support work with individual guests in 2025

One guest first came to The Gatehouse in the aftermath of a relationship breakdown which left him sleeping rough and cut off from his children. His physical health had deteriorated to the point where he required a walking aid, and he had no access to basic essentials. We were able to provide immediate support in the form of a tent and sleeping bag for temporary shelter.

We then liaised with St Mungo’s to get him verified, which led to an offer of accommodation at Somewhere Safe to Stay. When that provision closed, he was housed temporarily in a hotel. Throughout this time, The Gatehouse provided clothing, toiletries, bedding, and even a steamer to prepare his clothes for job interviews. With encouragement, he engaged more with health services, eventually improving to the point where he no longer needed a walking aid. He also accessed counselling and casework support, which helped rebuild his confidence and stability.

Over time, he secured permanent housing, gained employment, and was reunited with his children. His journey reflects the transformative impact of holistic support addressing long-term wellbeing and independence. In a moving gesture, he later returned to The Gatehouse with cards and chocolates to thank the staff and volunteers who had walked alongside him in his journey.
Another guest regularly attends The Gatehouse café and receives ongoing support from the Casework Team, and counselling. She has also become an active member of the Gatehouse Lived Experience Advisory Forum, playing a meaningful role in shaping services and contributing to positive change for others in similar situations.

The Gatehouse has provided practical, responsive support to help stabilise her circumstances. This has included emergency gas and electricity top-ups, food parcels during periods of financial pressure, and more recently the provision of storage boxes to support organisation and wellbeing within her flat.

She is now an engaged and valued member of the Gatehouse community, combining personal progress with active participation in service development. Her involvement helps ensure services remain grounded in lived experience and responsive to the real needs of guests.

This case study demonstrates how person-centred support, combined with genuine opportunities for co-production, can empower individuals not only to stabilise their own situations but to help shape more effective and inclusive services.

Arriving at The Gatehouse after fleeing a violent relationship one guest was deeply traumatised, with nowhere safe to turn. Over time, she was introduced to the Women’s Space, where she found a supportive and understanding community of peers who had faced similar challenges.

Through the group, she was able to share her experiences in a safe environment and gradually rebuild her sense of self-worth. She accessed counselling and casework support, and our team helped her connect with specialist domestic violence services for housing and legal advice. Today, she is living in safe accommodation, has started volunteering locally, and feels hopeful about her journey ahead.
Another guest, who has life-limiting health conditions, attended The Gatehouse requiring practical support to maintain independence and wellbeing. A broken washing machine was affecting his ability to manage day-to-day living and personal care. The Gatehouse funded a replacement washing machine, enabling him to maintain hygiene and dignity at home. Also, following the loss of his bus pass, The Gatehouse provided temporary bus passes to ensure continued mobility.

He attends The Gatehouse regularly, accessing food and socialising, which plays an important role in reducing isolation. Recognising the importance of his pet to his wellbeing, The Gatehouse also provides dog food and treats, supporting both practical needs and emotional companionship.
One guest came to The Gatehouse after losing his job and accommodation, which left him sleeping rough. We were able to provide immediate help with hot meals, clothing, and a safe, welcoming community where he felt valued.

Over time, he became a regular, using computers to apply for benefits and search for work. He joined in with group activities, which helped him rebuild confidence and social skills, and took part in casework sessions. With encouragement, he engaged with local health services and counselling. Eventually, he secured supported accommodation and, later, a part-time job. Today he is living more independently, has a stable income, and is rebuilding relationships with family.
Another couple first came to The Gatehouse when they had no stable accommodation. We provided a tent and basic essentials to meet immediate needs, together with showers, clothes, and access to computers, which allowed them to maintain their dignity, access benefits, and keep in contact with family members.

When she was recalled to prison we stepped in, providing a mobile phone and SIM card so he could stay connected, and securing funds for him to visit her in prison. After her release, they were able to secure accommodation and build a more stable life. They are now settled, happy, and expecting their first baby together.

Our impact at a glance 2025

  •  An increased range of services were delivered in 2025 including our café (six evenings a week), shower project, clothes store, practical and therapeutic workshops, computer access and advice, the Counselling service, one to one support from our Casework Team, the Lived Experience Advisory Forum, the Woman’s Space and The Write Place.
  • Directly reducing food and financial inequalities by serving over 15,000 meals to over 700 individuals in 2025 in the Gatehouse café. The Gatehouse café supports people’s basic human needs, which every human has and many of us take for granted. The café is often the first step to a guest receiving tailored individual support.
  • Homelessness prevention by achieving outcomes in supporting 141 individuals securing or retaining their housing. Safety and security is another basic human need which not everyone is fortunate to have.
  • Working alongside and making referrals to over 100 external agencies providing specialist support to ensure a multi-agency approach and the best outcome for individuals needing the support. To support a whole person and their support needs, takes a community approach.
  • Reducing the stigma of lived experience by facilitating Lived Experience Advisory Forum Meetings and 18 members working alongside 38 co-production partners to co-produce projects. Being heard, having a purpose and being treated as an equal to co-produce services, can elevate and develop a person both personally and practically. In 2025 LEAF also launched a new Experts by Experience programme.
  • 2,296 positive outcomes delivered by the Casework Team one to one support, on a diverse range of practical and emotional needs.
  • The Casework Team one to one support worked with 143 individuals in 2025 and supported them to move on to independent living/ no longer need the service.
  • Supporting 14 individuals to increase their mental health and wellbeing via our counselling service across 172 personal counselling sessions.
  • Providing over 350 shower sessions to our guests.
  • Working in partnership and external organisations and donors to facilitate over 6,000 practical provision items to Guests of the Gatehouse.
  • The social and community benefits of working alongside over 300 volunteers helping to run our drop-in sessions and providing over 10,000 volunteer hours in 2025.