Acton Homeless Concern was founded by the priests of the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Acton as a practical response to the needs and problems of a large community of homeless people sleeping rough on local streets.
All the free services provided by AHC are in two locations: Emmaus House and the drop-in Damien Centre which is open weekday mornings and afternoons when Emmaus House is closed. Both are mainly staffed by volunteers.
Everyone is welcome
Why we are needed
When people walk into our two centres it's often because poverty has left them nowhere else to go. They might be sleeping rough, or have been evicted, or are sofa surfing or are just hungry. By offering them a free hot meal and a kind word without any judgment, we can set them on a path to getting help from us or other agencies.
It might be as simple as food, a shower and a change of clothes to begin with. We can also help them with more complex needs, like seeing a doctor or a lawyer.
Most of all, in a society that mostly shuns the destitute, we offer human contact and warmth to the lonely and desperate people who come to us.
The Centres
Emmaus House provides hot lunches during
the week and every other weekend. It's also where
clients can shower, pick up clothes and household
items. Free professional services are on offer by
appointment.
The Damien Centre is open during weekday
mornings and afternoons when Emmaus House is
closed. Clients can drop in for breakfast in the morning, a light meal in the afternoon or just for a chat and to get a free tea and coffee.
Ian Breen is our Centres Manager. We have three other full time and four part time members of staff (catering and administration)
and a pool of around 100 regular volunteers. The charity is
run by a board of Trustees that meets every month
except in August.
We provide a range of professional services for
our clients including: doctors, barbers, counselling,
legal advice and referral services to help with alcohol
and drug addiction.
Our Milestones
1989 Our Beginnings
1993Partnerships
In the five years since it was started, partnerships had been established with with all relevant health professionals so that clien ld access the services of doctors, dentists and opticians together with referrals for emergency housing, benefits advice and drug and alcohol counselling.
1996Our name and constitution
The charity changed its name and constitution and became known as Acton Homeless Concern Emmaus House. We were serving approximately 120 lunches every day. In 1989 it was between 40 and 50 so in six years we had a three fold increase in the number of meals being served.
1998Fundraising for improvements
Kitchen facilities at Emmaus house were deemed inadequate to cope with the number of clients attending each day for food. A fundraising campaign was launched and £40,000 was raised to bring the kitchen up to restaurant standards.
2003 Meeting demand
We initially planned for the Damien Centre to be open for four hours a day with a probable attendance of between 20 and 30 clients. By 2003, this number had increased to 105 daily, so funding was secured for a second project worker and opening hours were increased to 10 hours.
2005An enduring legacy
We received a legacy of £50,000, which led to us launching a fundraising campaign to enable the purchase of the Damien Centre. Staff and trustees raised a further £50,000 and together with a £35,000 mortgage, the purchase was completed in 2006.
2010 Establishing events
A big fund-raising year by some volunteers enabled us to purchase new kitchen and washing facilities at Emmaus House. We also held our first annual fund-raising Quiz Night, a much-loved fixture in local people's diaries ever since!
2014Our 25th Anniversary
The 25th anniversary reflected that there had been a four-fold increase in clients since we started delivering our services. We have continued to hold an annual volunteer party to thank the army of people who have worked tirelessly over the years to make AHC what it is today: a beacon of hope for hundreds of people every day.
1989
1993
1996
1998
2003
2005
2010
2014
1993Partnerships
In the five years since it was started, partnerships have been established with all relevant health professionals so that clients access the services of doctors, dentists and opticians together with referrals for emergency housing, benefits advice and drug and alcohol counselling.
2014Our 25th Anniversary
The 25th anniversary reflected that there had been a four-fold increase in clients since we started delivering our services. We have continued to hold an annual volunteer party to thank the army of people who have worked tirelessly over the years to make AHC what it is today: a beacon of hope for hundreds of people every day.
1998 Fundraising for improvements
Kitchen facilities at Emmaus house were deemed inadequate to cope with the number of clients attending each day for food. A fundraising campaign was launched and £40,000 was raised to bring the kitchen up to restaurant standards.
2014Our 25th Anniversary
The 25th anniversary reflected that there had been a four-fold increase in clients since we started delivering our services. We have continued to hold an annual volunteer party to thank the army of people who have worked tirelessly over the years to make AHC what it is today: a beacon of hope for hundreds of people every day.
2005 An enduring legacy
We received a legacy of £50,000, which led to us launching a fundraising campaign to enable the purchase of the Damien Centre. Staff and trustees raised a further £50,000 and together with a £35,000 mortgage, the purchase was completed in 2006.
2014Our 25th Anniversary
The 25th anniversary reflected that there had been a four-fold increase in clients since we started delivering our services. We have continued to hold an annual volunteer party to thank the army of people who have worked tirelessly over the years to make AHC what it is today: a beacon of hope for hundreds of people every day.
2014 Our 25th Anniversary
The 25th anniversary reflected that there had been a four-fold increase in clients since we started delivering our services. We have continued to hold an annual volunteer party to thank the army of people who have worked tirelessly over the years to make AHC what it is today: a beacon of hope for hundreds of people every day.
2014Our 25th Anniversary
The 25th anniversary reflected that there had been a four-fold increase in clients since we started delivering our services. We have continued to hold an annual volunteer party to thank the army of people who have worked tirelessly over the years to make AHC what it is today: a beacon of hope for hundreds of people every day.
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Contact Us
020 8992 5768