Who we are About us About us Page Directory: Who we are | What we do | The film | What others have said | Awards Who we are Based in London, Glass Door coordinates the UK’s largest network of open-access services for people affected by homelessness. During the Covid-19 pandemic, new services were launched to ensure people experiencing homelessness could safely stay in individual rooms and had access to food and support to move beyond homelessness. Before the pandemic, Glass Door ran emergency winter shelters in partnership with churches in West and South West London. Year-round, people find advice and support to end their homelessness through trained caseworkers based at partnering drop-in centres. Our shelters save lives, and our support services help change lives. Our vision is a world where no one has to sleep on the streets of London, and we’re working every day to achieve this. By partnering with churches and community centres to provide shelter and support, Glass Door is committed to supporting people get—and stay—off the street. We believe everyone has inherent dignity and we welcome those who turn to us as our guests. We are open to all, space permitting. We do not require our guests to fill in long, complicated forms or prove they have a local connection to gain access to our services. As an independent charity that receives no funding that impedes our open access policy, it is thanks to the support of individuals, partners, churches, community groups, businesses and trusts and foundations that we can continue to provide shelter and support to those who need it most. What we do Shelter In the winter of 2019-2020, about 170 individuals slept in a Glass Door shelter every night, making Glass Door the largest emergency winter night shelter network in the country. Glass Door is able to do this thanks to partnerships with churches across West and South West London. In the winter of 2020-2021 during the pandemic, we shifted our services to provide accommodation in individual rooms. Find out more in our annual report. Food A network of churches and community centres provide hot food during winter to all in need. Advice and Support Year-round, anyone in need can speak with dedicated caseworkers who offer advice, advocacy and practical support. Find out more. Guests can access the advice and support service either in the shelters or during the daytime. The daytime advice service is made possible thanks to partnerships with drop-in centres, including Chelsea Methodist Church, Ace of Clubs, HTB Day Shelter, the Vineyard Community Centre, St Cuthbert's Centre and the Yard in Putney. Guests of these drop-in centres can also find other services provided by the drop-ins, such as lunch, laundry and showers. Find out more. Glass Door not only saves lives by providing refuge from the cold, we also help our guests build more stable futures. The film What others have said: Homeless people have stories to share and value to give society. Glass Door helps them create a life, not just an existence. - Colin Firth photo credit: Gage Skidmore The difference for me about this charity is the fact their doors are open to anyone, regardless of where they’re from or why they’re there. It’s a fabulous example of a community joining together and supporting those in a vulnerable chapter of their lives, giving them a route out of homelessness. - Hugh Pym, BBC Broadcaster and Glass Door Volunteer I was able to experience first-hand the excellent work of Glass Door.... There was a great atmosphere of friendship and welcome. Most of all there was a tangible sense of our shared humanity and a desire to be there with each other and for each other. - Bishop John Wilson, Archbishop of Southwark Awards We are proud to have received several awards, including the Charity Times Awards 2020 (PR Team of the Year Award Winner and shortlisted for Charity of the Year and Rising Leader of the Year for CEO Lucy Abraham), the Christian Funders Forum (Best Housing Project Silver Winner 2018), Directory of Social Change (winner of the 2018 Impact award), The Chelsea Awards (winner of the 2019 community collaboration award), Charity Today (Highly Commended for 2019 Community Impact) and Homeless Link Excellence Awards 2019 (highly commended for excellence in collaboration & partnership working) and 2020 (Highly Commended, "Jacqui McCluskey communicating for change award"). Find our top ways to make a difference / volunteer / donate
