We were back at The Haven this evening to help with their Temporary Winter Housing Project. This project is now in it’s third year and offers a select number of Swindon’s rough sleepers an opportunity to enrol on a three-month project which includes safe accommodation as well as a contract of support with the end goal to be tenancy ready. We met Ian (Social Enterprise Manager) who explained that the usual communal sleeping arrangements have had to be changed to separate sleeping quarters to enable the project to go ahead in January. As Ian showed us round, some of us reminisced about our first time at The Haven and having to use our head and body torches as there was no electricity! We’ve seen the space change and be used for different purposes over the last 2 years but it’s fair to say we were astounded to see the space transformed into separate bedrooms, 2 communal areas, staff quarters and toilet facilities.

Having spent Lockdown 2.0 with the builders in, and some of the former residents having painted it, it was our job this evening to give the building a thorough clean through before the floor could be fitted and the furniture built. Tracey got to work hunting for hoovers, and successful she was too! Jason and Kirsty joined the hoover crew, comparing whose pipe was the longest and which had the best suck. Pure filth on tonight’s task, and not just on the windows – my task, to clean them all. Giving me a full house having now cleaned windows in every building at the Haven. Adam and Becky grabbed the two brushes, got down on hands and knees and scrubbed like troopers. With so much action, we hadn’t noticed the dust cloud emerging until the smoke alarms started going off!! The ringing felt like it went on forever but thankfully Ian managed to plug in the code just before we finished.

Satisfied with our efforts and that the smoke detectors were in full working order, we all scattered in case they went off again!