The charity - The House of St Barnabas

1864 to 2008

The House of St Barnabas-in-Soho first began operating as "The House of Charity" in 1864, taking its current name in 1961. The objective was to provide refuge and accommodation for homeless people in Soho and the surrounding areas - and for 160 years it continued in this role.

However, with increased running costs and the difficulties of converting the hostel accommodation in this Grade 1 listed building to modern-day standards, the Trustees regretfully decided that the House of St Barnabas was no longer viable as a hostel. It closed as a residence in 2006. (Annual Report 2005-2006)

Instead, the charity's objectives were amended to providing personal support to people who have experienced homelessness. This includes life skills and vocational training, work placements and support in accessing jobs.

Our vision

To help people change their lives and regain and sustain independence by:

De-stigmatising homeless people by providing opportunities that would not normally be available to them
Providing a haven and a community within the House of St. Barnabas that they can belong to and contribute to indefinitely
Enabling people not only to gain qualifications and practical work experience, but then to find employment, a new career path and life changing experiences
Integrating them within the wider community
Enabling them to reach their potential and give them confidence in themselves and their future

The concept behind a state of the art life skills centre is to recognise that many of the barriers of moving out of homelessness that people face are created not by themselves or their abilities, but by external factors created in the environment in which they live: societal attitudes, stigma and prejudice. (Vision Statement)

The next stage

The charity has already begun its new work. Since October 2009, The House of St Barnabas has been working in partnership with Quintessentially to launch one of London's most exciting charitable ventures. Throughout the summer the House underwent an intense period of renovation and redecoration, in order to restore the building to its original Georgian glory. Working on a pro-bono basis, Russell Sage Studios secured over £2.5million in donations, sponsorship and time in order to create a completely unique and stylish environment.

Since then, the House of St Barnabas has hosted Quintessentially Soho — a not-for-profit charitable members' lounge and events space, aimed at raising funds for the House of St Barnabas Charity and the Quintessentially Foundation. The partnership looks to alleviate the problems associated with homelessness in London, and to help improve the health and education of disadvantaged people and communities worldwide.

Over the coming months, Quintessentially will be our partner in Social Enterprise, helping us in so many ways to exploit the asset of the House, extend its reach, and help people who need support in returning to employment.

Future plans

The vision for the House today, through our Life Skills Programmes, is to provide an anchor point and sense of community to those who have experienced homelessness. Following the renovation of our second floor and success of our pilot programme, the House plans to launch a new programme in January, to provide recruits with a range of tailored work experience, training and therapeutic services in order to help each person manage their wider personal journey back to a more stable and happy life.

By building up the Events Business, the House aims to welcome ever more clients to our unique venue and to provide both corporate and private bookings with a first class event management service. The Events Business looks to increase and develop the support it currently offers the Life Skills Programme, by maximising income and providing more protected work experience opportunities for its recruits.

In the long term, the House of St Barnabas looks to develop stronger partnerships with local businesses and charities across Soho, with a view to improving work experience access for its volunteers and increasing local awareness of homelessness issues.

Who's Who

Patron	HRH Princess Alexandra
Vice Patron	Mrs Jenniver White
Visitor	The Bishop of London
Custodian Trustees	David MonroA descendant of Dr Henry Monro, David is senior partner at Monro Fisher Wasbrough solicitors.
	Rev Adam ScottAdam is also a family descendant of Dr Henry Monro. He is a lawyer, engineer and Anglican priest. He is an innovator and has been involved in transforming and privatising BT, the regulation of competition and has engaged with people at St Andrew's University and in the church as a dean in secular employment. In 2009, Adam was appointed Officer in the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of over four decades of service in the voluntary and public sectors.
Hon Secretary	Jenny GuestFollowing a visit to the House some years ago, Jenny became involved not only as a guide for the Historic Rooms, but as a volunteer. Her background is in museum project management and the public sector including a secondment to the then Active Communities Unit of the Home Office, now part of Communities and Local Government.
Trustees	David EvansFounding partner of Berkeley Partnership, David Evans brings to the House his expertise in helping management teams to tackle their most complex and critical challenges. He has worked successfully with a range of firms including Marks and Spencers, BP and Euronext. Even before becoming a trustee, David supported the House in mapping out our future and achieving our aims.
	Christine HancockEuropean Director of the Oxford Health Alliance, Christine is working to combat the global epidemic of chronic disease. Her nursing career spans from experience in acute hospitals and community and mental health services, to heading up the UK's professional association for nurses (Royal College of Nursing) and the International Council of Nurses.
	David ParkerDavid was born in Sydney, Australia and has BA (hons), a Masters degree of Urban and Regional Planning and a Master's degree in Heritage Conservation. He has worked as a town planner in Australia and is currently employed by Westminster City Council.