The Wellspring is a vital lifeline for those facing homelessness and the challenges of daily adversity. We are more than a support service; we are a dedicated team offering practical resources, compassionate support, and tailored guidance to help individuals rebuild their lives.
At The Wellspring, our team provides essential services, starting with 1:1 support, alongside meals, healthcare, wellbeing support, and accommodation assistance. This includes proactively engaging with people who are at risk of homelessness so we can prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place. Those accessing our services often present a broad range of complex needs and we work closely with other agencies to ensure a multiagency approach. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to overcome difficult times and reclaim a stable, dignified life. Every day, our staff and volunteers create a welcoming environment that fosters connection and trust for everyone who walks through our doors.
We invite you to join us on this journey. Together, we can transform lives, strengthen our community, and build futures beyond homelessness. Your support can make all the difference.
Alex Knight Manager
“My life was more than difficult, I had no support network and I was struggling with every aspect of my life whilst facing homelessness. With The Wellspring’s support everything has gotten a lot better in more ways than one. The Wellspring is like a family that I am now a part of, you can be part of the family too”
A Wellspring service user
Get to know us
Who do we support
Simply put, we support the people of Stockport that are homeless or at risk of losing their home. We respond to a combination of issues surrounding housing, physical and mental health, specific substance misuse and addiction, abuse, social exclusion, domestic abuse, emotional coercion, unemployment and debt.
We are open 7 days a week, 365 days a year and provide 1:1 support, warm, nutritious meals, clothing, hygiene facilities, medical checkups and more.
Drop in to see a member of staff, call us on 0161 477 6344 or email us on info@thewellspring.co.uk
All new members are asked to complete a triage sheet to assess their needs and access practical provisions such as:
• Accessing 1:1 support from one of our Project Workers who can support with substance misuse, emotional support and more.
• Using the showers and hygiene facilities, toiletries and towels provided
• Attending our breakfast or lunch meal service and receiving a takeaway snack pack
• Visiting our clothing store to replenish clean, weather-appropriate clothing
• Attending our onsite medical drop-in with our on site Advanced Nurse Practitioner Sheilagh or Dr Mian with the option of treatment or referral onto other specialist services
Taking part in a wellbeing or community activity such as our walking group or football team
Signposting to other services
Housing: We work collaboratively with other organisations within the Stockport community to support our service users into accommodation where appropriate. Together we aim to reduce the number of people entering homelessness, enable more people into housing and support each person to find what they need to improve their health and wellbeing for the future.
Medical: Our onsite Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Doctor support our service users to engage with primary healthcare, assess and treat immediate medical needs and can refer on to specialist services where necessary.
Support: Our Project Workers offer 1:1 sessions to support service users with a variety of things from emotional support to substance abuse advice. This can involve signposting to partner agencies.
Janet Parish Business and Community Liaison
Pauly Hossner Project Worker
Alison Hunt Project Worker
Sheilagh Armstrong ANP Mastercall Wellspring Service Lead
Alex Knight Manager
Lisa Cookson Project Worker Paul Cornwall Project Worker
Dr Shah-Nawaz Mian Mastercall Deputy Medical Director
Heidi Yeung Administrator
Ben Healey Project Worker Morwenna Rose-Jarvis Project Worker
Aaron McMillan Project Worker
David Case Study 1
David is so much more than a statistic. A family man, a successful advertising professional and a human being who fell on hard times. David’s journey from homelessness to stability highlights his strength and the transformative impact of our comprehensive support services.
David describes his situation before finding The Wellspring: “After losing my job, my home and my family, I was sleeping in the back of my car, and I didn’t see a future.” Struggling with alcohol dependency and mental health issues, David found himself in a cycle of despair and isolation.
Sean Case Study 2
Sean isn’t
a statistic, he’s a musician who lost his way after the breakdown of his marriage.
“My partner and I split up due to my drinking and drug taking,” Sean admits, “I knew I was going to lose my job and my house but at the time I just didn’t care.”
After becoming homeless, Sean had no idea what to do, he wasn’t aware of the help and support The Wellspring could offer, he felt completely alone and lost. A family member rang The Wellspring on Seans behalf and started his journey towards a brighter future.
Discovering The Wellspring marked a turning point for David. The centre provided him with essential services such as meals, healthcare and support with detoxing from alcohol. He recalls meeting our Support Worker, Paul: “Paul arranged for me to detox at a specialist hospital in Manchester. Afterwards I received a lot of follow up support to help me remain abstinent and now I have been four and a half years sober.”
Reflecting further on this support, David says, “It’s lifechanging, I’ve never felt better physically, mentally or emotionally,” underscoring how The Wellspring is not just about meeting immediate needs but also about providing a pathway to a better future. He adds, “I got the sense someone was fighting my corner.”
With continuous support from The Wellspring, David secured stable housing, marking a significant milestone in his journey. He began volunteering to help others in a similar situation which further empowered him to rebuild his life. “Because of my volunteering I got a job in Occupational Therapy. I am so much happier and more content than I ever was before,” he explains.
Our ability to address both the immediate needs and the underlying issues faced by individuals like David is crucial in helping them achieve lasting change. We are proud of David and everything he has achieved during his recovery and transition back to an independent, fulfilled life.
“Paul was assigned as my key worker and we immediately got down to the nitty gritty of my drug and alcohol issues, he helped me book a date in for a detox and see a regular doctor again,” he explains. “Going to The Wellspring made me realise I might be able to get my life back on track again, it has such a warm, community feel to it and I could access meals and clothes whenever I needed them. I was given a decent coat, a sleeping bag and a feeling of hope. I knew I always had someone to talk to.” Sean told us.
Sean was sleeping in a park before The Wellspring helped him apply for supported, social housing. He always had a passion for music and so he set himself a goal to save up for recording equipment to pursue his dream career.
After forming a band with some of his friends, they worked tirelessly before eventually securing a record deal. Feeling elated, Sean picked up the phone to ring someone integral to his success story... Paul, his key worker from The Wellspring.
“I would never be in the position I am now without the amazing support, love and care from the staff at The Wellspring. It’s amazing and unbelievable, the stuff dreams are made of.”
Support us
Choose us as your charity of the year!
We would love to be your charity of the year! Before the decision-making process starts, let’s get a meeting in the diary so we can show you, your staff and board members what we do here at The Wellspring.
A common misconception is that we are a ‘soup kitchen’ and although our meal provision is a completely vital part of what we offer, we are so much more than just that. We are a warm, friendly and safe place for those without homes to visit and receive support. Whether it’s a shower and hygiene facilities, clean clothing, 1:1 support, housing and employment support or medical assistance – we provide all of it and more.
If you are interested in making us your charity of the year, please contact janet@thewellspring.co.uk who will be able to get the process started and send you a pack of information to share with the rest of your workplace.
Donate the items we really need
As part of our support services, we offer two hot meals a day and a takeaway snack pack, 7 days a week to hundreds of service users. In fact, in 2024 we served over 75000 meals from our entirely volunteer-led kitchen which means that we get through a lot of ingredients, very quickly!
By far the ingredients we need the most are tinned and fresh meat, UHT long-life milk (we use over 200 pints a week!), custard, sugar, coffee and lots of other things. We update our wish list regularly but if you would like a real-time update of what we need, please contact us on 0161 477 6344.
Donations can be dropped off at The Wellspring, Harvey Street, Stockport, SK11YD. Our opening times are 8am - 4pm on a Monday to Friday and 8am - 2pm on a Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays. When dropping off donations please try to avoid 12:30 - 1:30 as this is during our lunch time meal service.
You can also send us donations online via givetoday.co.uk/thewellspring/ or via our Amazon wishlist, which can be found on our website thewellspring.co.uk, thank you in advance.
UHT
For a seasonal option, why not adopt us your charity of choice for Christmas? You could help us fund our Christmas dinner service and provide vital services such as warm clothing, shower facilities and a warm meal twice a day within the safety of The Wellspring. These are especially important during the colder months!
Get involved in our fundraising
We have five main campaigns running throughout the year, to get involved in any of them please contact janet@thewellspring.co.uk or visit our website thewellspring.co.uk.
The Wellspring Runners
Each year our Wellspring Runners take on The Great Manchester Run. Every mile run and every penny raised goes to help the people who experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of losing their home or at risk of losing their home. If you’re an avid runner, or even a beginner, why not take on the challenge and raise some all-important funds for The Wellspring?!
Harvest
Our Harvest Festival campaign is primarily supported by schools and churches who collect ingredients to donate to The Wellspring. This is especially important as we see more people through our doors than ever before, and as we serve two meals a day and a takeaway snack pack, we need many ingredients to sustain this. If you know of any schools, churches or even offices who may want to get involved in our Harvest Festival collections, please visit our website thewellspring.co.uk
Sleepout
Fancy spending a night under the Stockport starry sky to raise money for people without homes? Then the Sleepout is perfect for you!
It’s a unique event that allows you to get involved in the most active way. We know that spending one night without a roof over our heads will in no way give us a full understanding of what it’s really like to be homeless. But this is an opportunity for us to consider some small elements of how difficult those challenges are and raise vital funds so The Wellspring can continue to support them.
Rucksack Project
The idea of this project is really simple; we aim to provide essential items for as many homeless or housing vulnerable people as possible during the winter months. And it is YOUR donations that help us make this a possibility and have a huge positive impact in instant and helpful ways. You can find a list of everything we need on our website. Will you pack a bag to change a life?
Visit thewellspring.co.uk to get started
Christmas Dinner Appeal
Our Christmas Dinner Appeal campaign is where we ask our incredible supporters to do something amazing and donate £5 to help us provide Dinner and a gift on Christmas Day to someone that simply wouldn’t have it otherwise. Anything you can afford to give now will carry a legacy beyond Christmas Day and will allow us to continue our support throughout the following year. It provides us with the foundation to keep going, to keep helping, to bring hope and change to more people than ever. Will you sponsor a Christmas Dinner and gift for just £5?
Set up your own fundraising event
If none of our readymade campaigns are for you, why not set up your own fundraising event? In the past we have had sponsored golf tournaments, sponsored bake sales, reverse advent calendars and more. Whether you’re an individual, a group or a company, we can help you come up with some ideas to raise vital funds for The Wellspring. Contact janet@thewellspring.co.uk for ideas and logistical support.
Invite us to talk at your next event
We absolutely love talking about The Wellspring and we would love to come along to more events to share all about our services, our dedicated staff and the ways we help our service users. If you’re searching for guest speakers to present at your staff conference, event or meeting then please keep us in mind. You can contact janet@thewellspring.co.uk to book us in.
Come and volunteer with us!
Our volunteers who donate their time are the backbone of The Wellspring and we couldn’t offer our support services without them. Our kitchen and meal provisions are entirely volunteer led and we serve hundreds of meals and snack packs a day, so we need you! If you or your company are interested in volunteering your time and meeting your corporate social responsibility needs at the same time, please contact janet@thewellspring.co.uk so we can find the perfect time for you.
£300
£500 £1,666
Don’t be left out... Join our current supporters
These are all the incredible companies who are already supporting us, your name could be here next time... what’s stopping you?
£2,500
£5,000 pays for 15 mobile phones with credit. pays for a wellbeing activity for 25 service users pays for 1 month of our food provision. pays for 1 month of utility bills. pays for 300 hours of 1:1 support
Talk about us
As we stand for dignity and respect for all, the way we talk about people experiencing homelessness is vitally important. We invite you to read our guidelines below for how to refer to our service users, especially when sharing our work online, with colleagues or on social media.
Use people-first
language
Rather than using the term ‘homeless person’, which can imply that homelessness is the only defining characteristic of an individual, phrases like ‘person experiencing homelessness’ and ‘person without a home’ can be more helpful. It’s important to remember that people experiencing homelessness are just that... people. People who are defined by many things and not just their current circumstances.
Remember that homelessness is not a bad word
Talking about homelessness is vital for challenging the judgement and stigma that people experiencing homelessness experience every day. Speaking to your friends or family or organising an event to raise money for The Wellspring at work can be a great start to challenging this stigma whilst normalising talking about homelessness.
Challenge your own and others limiting beliefs about homelessness
It’s okay to admit that you may have some prejudices about people experiencing homelessness but but it’s important to challenge these negative stereotypes is continuing to believe negative stereotypes without challenging this. At The Wellspring we see firsthand that it is almost never the case that someone without a home has reached that circumstance just because they’re lazy or struggling with substances, as some people unfortunately still believe. Sharing our work, case studies and statistics with others can open a dialogue where more people can understand the various causes of homelessness as well as understand that it is not just about rough sleeping.
Our impact
Just under 400 new members registered for support in 2024.
Over 75,000 meal items served in 2024 (up from 64,000 in 2023) ensuring our community has access to nutritious food.
8,516 pieces of support completed including housing, health, benefits and more.
On average, 15 volunteers dedicate 7 hours per day, 365 days a year, resulting in an incredible 38,220 volunteer hours given in 2024. Provided clean clothing and hygiene facilities, preserving dignity and health.
Facilitated access to medical care for hundreds of users, addressing both urgent and ongoing health concerns.
15
Stand with us
We stand for a society where everyone has a place to call home and the opportunity to lead a healthy, fulfilling life. Our mission is rooted in compassion, inclusivity, and the unwavering commitment to support those facing homelessness or who are at risk of losing their home. We strive to address not just the symptoms but the underlying causes of homelessness, ensuring that every individual has the tools and resources they need to build a brighter future.
We stand for housing security Homelessness isn’t just about lacking shelter, it’s a complex issue linked to various social challenges. We provide essential support in accessing and navigating social housing and securing stable living conditions. Our goal is to break the cycle of homelessness and ensure everyone in Stockport has a secure place to call home.
We stand for holistic health and wellbeing Good physical and mental health are vital to achieving stability and independence. Our on-site medical team offer check-ups, health consultations, and referrals to specialist care, meeting both immediate and long-term health needs and contributing to a healthier community.
We stand for dignity and respect for all Every person deserves to be treated with kindness and empathy. We provide free meals, clean clothing, and hygiene facilities to preserve the dignity of our service users. Our commitment to respect ensures that everyone who comes through our doors feels valued and supported.
We stand for comprehensive support Homelessness is often intertwined with a combination of issues surrounding housing, physical and mental health, specific substance misuse and addiction, abuse, social exclusion, domestic abuse, emotional coercion, unemployment and debt. Our cohesive approach creates pathways and referrals to specialist services, helping individuals tackle these challenges head-on. We aim to empower our users with the skills and support they need to achieve lasting independence.
We stand for community and collaboration We work closely with local organisations to create a supportive network that addresses the needs of our users. Adopting a multi-agency approach, we can make a meaningful impact and foster a more inclusive, caring community.
We stand for advocacy and awareness We advocate for the rights of people without homes and work to increase public awareness about the realities of homelessness. Through education and advocacy, we aim to inspire action and drive systemic change.
We stand for a future where homelessness is eradicated, and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Understand Us
Stockport is “the best place to live in the North West” according to The Sunday Times, but behind the headlines, homeless is rising. Pressures are high across Stockport and with 9,600 active social housing applications and up to 262 applications for each available property, many people will never be able to access housing.
All of this points to deep-seated structural issues within the housing market which are unlikely to improve anytime soon.
It’s difficult to quantify the exact number of homeless people in Stockport and across the UK due to the various definitions and ways of capturing homelessness data. On average, researchers believe around 1 in every 182 people in the UK is homeless. Next time you’re at the office or at a companywide meeting, know that statistically there is likely at least one person in that room at risk of or experiencing homelessness. It could happen to any of us.
The different types of homelessness
Homelessness does not just refer to individuals sleeping rough, there are many definitions and examples and although some types may need more immediate support than others, they are all classed as homeless.
Rough sleeping: Rough sleeping is the most visible form of homelessness and is usually what people picture when they imagine a stereotypical homeless person. The UK Government defines rough sleeping as: “People sleeping, about to bed down or actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the street, in tents, doorways, parks bus shelters or encampments)” and “People in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as stairwells, barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations, or “bashes” which are makeshift shelters often comprised of cardboard boxes).” (Source: Health matters: rough sleeping GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))
Statutory homelessness: Statutory homelessness refers to the duty of care that falls to the Local Authority to secure a safe place to stay for certain groups of people. This often includes families with children and other priority need groups. Every year, thousands of people apply to their Local Authority for homelessness help so provisions like temporary accommodation are often used to house people.
Temporary accommodation: When seeking help from Local Authorities, a lot of people end up being placed in temporary accommodation which they remain in for a few weeks or even years. This can include women’s refuge centres, hotels, hostels and more and may not always be the most appropriate placement for the individual or family experiencing homelessness.
Hidden homelessness: A lot of people without a home don’t contact their Local Authority for assistance or aren’t entitled to help with housing. Because of this they end up ‘sofa surfing’, staying at overcrowded hostels or squats. Because they haven’t reached out for help, ‘people experiencing hidden homelessness’ are not often counted in the official homelessness statistics, which is a problem when it comes to the allocation of funds for homelessness services.
At risk of homelessness: This refers to people who are low-income, are experiencing poverty or live in poor quality housing. All of which place them at a higher risk of experiencing homelessness.
How do people end up homeless?
Housing: A shortage of housing coupled with high rents and increasing house prices all contribute to homelessness across the UK. Especially in Stockport where there are 600 applications for each available social housing property and only 20% of private landlords are willing to rent to homeless people.
(Source: Crisis housing | Crisis UK | Together we will end homelessness)
The Cost of Living Crisis: Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost of living has surged which has made it more difficult to afford necessities like housing and food. Recent data shows that 77% of homelessness organisations in the UK have seen an increase in the number of young people requiring support because of the cost of living.
(Source: The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on homeless young people | Centrepoint)
Life events: Life events such as a job loss, relationship breakdown or health condition can all be major factors in someone experiencing homelessness. If your circumstances change dramatically and you can no longer safely stay in your home or afford your payments, you are at risk of homelessness –it could happen to any of us.
Domestic abuse: In the UK, a domestic abuse-related phone call is made to the police every 30 seconds and 40% of victims experience homelessness as a result of fleeing an abusive or violent situation. (Source: Facts and Statistics Refuge)
Systemic racial inequality: Reports show that Black people are three and a half times as likely to experience statutory homelessness as White British people. Especially as 32% of Black people experiencing homelessness report experiencing discrimination from a social or private landlord. (Source: Black people are over three times more likely to experience homelessness - Heriot-Watt University (hw.ac.uk))
Prison leavers: In the past year there has been a 31% increase in the number of people leaving prison into homelessness, which on average is about 800 people a month in the UK. (Source: Rise in prison leaver homelessness (nacro.org.uk))
Army leavers: In 2023, homelessness for veterans increased by 14% with 500 veterans’ households being made homeless every three months in the UK. (Source: Homelessness among armed forces veterans in England rises by 14% | Ministry of Defence | The Guardian)
Care leavers: In the past 5 years there has been 33% rise in the number of care leaver households aged 18-20 assessed as homeless or at risk of homelessness. (Source: Care leavers: Number facing homelessness rises by a third BBC News)
Substances & Addiction: Substance misuse and addiction can disrupt relationships, employment and even housing, especially when purchasing substances becomes more of a priority than paying rent or bills. When this happens, many people struggling with addiction can end up homeless.
This is not an exhaustive list and the causes of homelessness are complicated and unique to every individual.
The Wellspring is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year and you can find us on Harvey Street, Stockport, SK1 1YD.
If you have any general questions, please contact info@thewellspring.co.uk
If you have questions about fundraising, donations or corporate support, please contact janet@thewellspring.co.uk
If you know of someone experiencing homelessness in Stockport who could use our help, please call us on 0161 477 6344. For an emergency response outside of our opening hours, please call 0161 474 2818.
thewellspring.co.uk
Opening hours:
Monday - Friday, 8am – 4pm
Saturday - Sunday and Bank Holidays, 8am – 2pm
If you are dropping off donations (thank you!) please try to avoid 12:30 – 1:30 as these are our meal service times
