Chelmsford charity Sanctus now helps up to 100 people daily

Sanctus, based in Chelmsford, was founded in 2011 by two philanthropists with lived experience of homelessness and now welcomes an average of 75 daily visitors to its Broomfield Road hub.

This newspaper met staff, volunteers and rough sleepers at the hub, as part of its campaign focusing on homelessness in Essex.

Emma Hughes started as the charity’s first volunteer, helping to clean toilets, but is now the CEO.

She said: “Rough sleepers don’t tend to stay for the day – their lives are often chaotic, due to addiction, so they come in and out.

"We also have a cohort of older people who use our service these days, because they're socially isolated."

The hub’s popularity has grown over the years, despite no formal advertising.

Emma said: "It’s just evolved organically, through word of mouth.

"We now help people in addiction or struggling with their mental health too."

But growing demand has put pressure on Sanctus’ limited resources.

Working to the top - CEO Emma started as the charity's first volunteer. (Image: Ben Shahrabi)

Emma said: "It means our food bill is higher.

"Everything is going up anyway, regardless of the number of people we see.

"We hold events to raise as much money as we can."

Despite the challenges, the range of users is one of the charity’s strengths.

Emma said: "One of the things I love about this place is you get the most eclectic mix of people sat together – you wouldn’t find that anywhere else."

Among those supported by Sanctus is Ian Piers, who arrived at the hub after being shipwrecked off the coast of Spain in January.

Ian said: "I lost absolutely everything.

"I’d lived on a 60-foot yacht for six years, but we hit a container which had fallen off a ship and it sank within 12 minutes.

"After three months in Spain, I turned up at Sanctus in the clothes I’d been wearing since the shipwreck."

Sanctus, along with other Chelmsford charities, helped him access accommodation and support.

Dave Clarke, a former service user who now works with the charity, said: "This place changed my life."

Recovery - David Clarke, one of the volunteers at Sanctus. (Image: Submitted)

He lived in a tent under the former Army and Navy Flyover until he was offered a volunteer role and accommodation through Sanctus.

“Life did get intolerable at times, and I found myself in a very dark place," Dave said.

“You can be in the gutter, but you can always pick yourself up and get on with life.

“If I can just get that across to one person, that’s great.”