Charity left 'heartbroken' by floods returns home

Jon Yates in the new and improved Doorway charity base in Chippenham

A homelessness charity which was devastated by flooding has returned to its original base.

Doorway supports hundreds of rough sleepers over the age of 16 across North Wiltshire.

In November, the charity's base at the Citadel in Chippenham was damaged when Storm Bert wreaked havoc across the region. Doorway has now returned to the building following repair work.

Doorway CEO Jon Yates said: "We are now thankfully back into our space and we have been able to improve it after what was a disaster for us. It's a place where people can wash clothes, have a shower and also have a listening ear."

Doorway's kitchen was ruined by floodwater during Storm Bert

Mr Yates added: "It [the flood] was heart-breaking for everyone involved, our offices and delivery space had only just been decorated.

"If you imagine a big river of water four feet deep going through your home, that was what it was like."

Doorway's kitchen, where meals were prepared for guests, was contaminated by the floodwater and plaster peeled off the walls following the storm.

A major fundraising effort helped pay for its refurbishment.

Staff inside Doorway's new charity base say it feels special to be 'home'

Brian Tubb spent 13 years sleeping rough between Chippenham and Malmesbury, and is now an ambassador for Doorway.

He said the return to the Citadel was important: "When we were horrendously hit by the storms, the community in Chippenham was absolutely wonderful and offered us other spaces.

"To be back here, where we call home and where everyone is treated the same, is really important.

"If we didn't have Doorway, what would people do?"

The number of people who died while homeless in the UK has reached a record high, with more than 1,600 deaths last year, according to new statistics from the Museum of Homelessness.

As a result, the work of Doorway, which supports upwards of 300 people each year, is more important than ever as the cost of living crisis continues.

Danny Kitt (right) and Doorway guest Alan at the charity's base in Chippenham

Danny Kitt, a retired teacher who works with Doorway, hopes people's perceptions of the homeless community can change in order to improve the situation.

He said: "Charities like Doorway perform a very valuable role.

"It's a commitment to help and support people who for a number of reasons can run a risk of being marginalised in what feels like an increasingly less kind society."