Tabor House, Birmingham’s new night shelter and the only permanent night shelter in the city, is holding an official opening ceremony to coincide with World Homeless Day. Guests will hear speeches about Tabor House and the impact it will have on the men and women who stay there, as it supports them to move off the streets.
Members of Tabor House’s management committee will run small group tours of the shelter, offering the opportunity to look around, meet people and find out about how Tabor House will work with its guests to help them transform their lives. The event will be attended by people working in the homeless sector, funders, stakeholders, partner organisations and others. It will feature music from a string quartet and art exhibit by Niamh McDermott.
As Birmingham’s only permanent night shelter, Tabor House will provide shelter, food and the support to help people move off the streets for good. The holistic support – which could include numeracy and literacy skills, health checks, help to overcome addiction, employability training and much more – is tailored to each person’s needs and strengths. It will empower people to take back control of their lives and move on.
Mairead Shaw, a Project Co-ordinator at Tabor House, said, “We won’t be making anyone homeless at the end of their stay. It’s a step up. They will have somewhere to move onto at the end of their stay, and that’s unique.”
Tabor House will rely on volunteers, with people from across Birmingham getting involved to help out. Most roles have already been filled, but anyone interested in volunteering, particularly for overnight shifts, can contact Mairead Shaw on 07387 418318.
Initially it will offer six beds for six months, before increasing to fifteen beds. It will support men, women and couples over the age of 18 who are referred by partner organisations.
Christy Acton, Deputy Community Projects Manager at Father Hudson’s Care, said, “During the first six months we want to learn from how we’re doing things to ensure we’re offering the best support we can.”