Could your church help house some of the people QVSR supports?

The Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest provides housing and welfare support to active and retired seafarers, veterans of the armed forces and other homeless men at our 174 bedded accommodation in Poplar, East London.

We provide those in need with somewhere to call home, feel secure and live in comfort and with dignity. They have shelter for as long as is needed, and an opportunity to regain their independence and feel part of a community. Our overall aim is to support residents to achieve lifestyle and personal development goals whether this is simple companionship, the development of leisure interests, training and employment opportunities or a move to more independent living.

Over the last 12 years QVSR has spent £8million on refurbishing our accommodation premises to provide all 174 rooms with an en-suite bathroom as well as improving the standard of all of the communal facilities. These include a modern restaurant, evening coffee shop, TV lounges, free Wi-Fi, activity centre, gym, Chapel, ‘multi-faith’ or ‘quiet’ room and garden. We also offer sports facilities such as snooker, football, badminton and table tennis, as well as a variety of leisure activities, including bingo, film nights, quizzes and karaoke.

We support our residents with matters such as applications for individual grants, medical appointments, mobile health screening and dental treatment, liaison with social services and other external organisations for assistance with health issues as well as training and employment opportunities. We are also able provide organised sports and activities to motivate and encourage residents in their daily life as well as assist them with appropriate move-on options and housing applications where applicable. With our welfare support, those we help feel more empowered to deal with personal health and work issues, make healthier lifestyle decisions and benefit from receiving the financial assistance they are entitled to.

The work of QVSR extends to the Ports of Tilbury, DP World London Gateway, Felixstowe, Immingham and Bristol where we manage the QVSR Seafarers Centres. Working alongside our ecumenical partners, the German Seamen’s Mission, Apostleship of the Sea, Mission to Seafarers and Sailors Society, we aim to provide a “home from home” to seafarers whilst they are in port, offering them a warm welcome, port welfare services and pastoral support. Additionally we are able to welcome active seafarers to our accommodation in Poplar should they need short term accommodation when recovering from illness or accidents at sea, when involved in crew changes or when just visiting London for pleasure or training.

Please get in touch if you are a church or a circuit that has a house in London or near one of our other centres in the Ports of Tilbury, DP World London Gateway, Felixstowe, Immingham and Bristol , which could be used as shared supported housing. QVSR is interested in leasing/acquiring properties where we could support former service people or sea farers to live more independently after moving on from one of our centres, especially in the London area which could offer move-on accommodation for some of our 170+ homeless residents - offering them hope and a future.

We would manage the property, including doing day to day repairs. If you have a church or hall near any other port which has the potential for conversion into larger supported accommodation, we would also like to hear from you. Either contact QVSR directly or Charlotte Betts the connexion’s property development manager. Please email bettsc@methodistchurch.org.uk

If you would like any further information please e-mail: enquiries@qvsr.org.uk or visit our website: www.qvsr.org.uk