Working at the heart of homelessness

At Anchor House, we support up to 220 people each year with a stable and safe environment to help them develop aspirations, confidence and self-esteem to enable them to move towards leading independent, self-fulfilling lives.

Based in Canning Town, the most deprived ward in the second most deprived borough in the country, we provide a wide range of accredited vocational training courses for both our residents and the local unemployed.

Residents are not only given a roof over their heads, but the opportunity to realise and accept for themselves that they have the skills and talents necessary to be happy and successful in life.

Through the holistic and nationally award winning ‘Aspirations Programme’, Lifestyle Architects work with them to address the root causes of their homelessness through training, job guidance, volunteering, health and well-being and personal rehabilitation. The aim is to provide tangible, sustainable solutions to the challenge of homelessness.

Residents sign a contract out of homelessness, agreeing to a personal development plan focused on their individual needs.

History

Formerly a seaman’s mission, Anchor House was established in 1962 by the Catholic London Inter-Diocesan Council of the Apostleship of the Sea (Charity No. 253669).

Its original purpose was to provide temporary accommodation to out-of-work seafarers coming into and out of the nearby ports.

With the closure of the London Docks in 1969, whilst it continued to act as a refuge for seamen, it gradually fell into disrepair, as did Canning Town. Anchor House then transformed itself into a residential life skills centre for the homeless.