Homelessness Charity Continues Recovery Following Storm Bert Flooding

A homelessness charity, presently undergoing recovery from the damage inflicted by flooding caused by Storm Bert, attributes its ongoing operation to its “resilience.” “The flood was incredible – it did incredibly bad things to our base,” stated Jo Kitching, the Chief Executive Officer of Doorway, the charity in question. The Wiltshire charity’s facility, situated at The Citadel in Chippenham town centre, is anticipated to require several months of repair work following the damage caused by floodwaters. Ms Kitching commented, “When things like these happen, it can have an absolutely devastating impact.” She added, “And if we weren’t as resilient as we are, there is a possibility that it would be the end of us.” In an interview with BBC Radio Wiltshire, Ms Kitching reported, “The kitchen is devastated – it’s all gone.” She further explained, “We have beautiful wooden laminate flooring which has all been lifted and that has revealed some interesting floor surfaces underneath.” To accelerate the drying, eight industrial fans have been installed, operating continuously. “With eight fans all on 24 hours a day, imagine what our electricity bill is going to look like,” Ms Kitching continued. Doorway serves as the primary provider of support for rough sleepers, homeless individuals, and those vulnerable to homelessness within Chippenham. A significant portion of the charity’s services are still being delivered from Rotary Hall and a community hub. Ms Kitching stated, “Our support workers have done an amazing job at still being able to support people.” She affirmed, “We’re an incredibly resilient organisation, so despite the fact that we can’t use this floor, we’ve still been able to offer proper support to people that need it.” Nevertheless, the exact date for the building’s reopening remains unconfirmed, with Ms Kitching indicating it might not occur before June or July. To date, a fundraiser hosted on JustGiving has accumulated £5,000, intended to assist the charity in its recovery efforts. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.