Since 1996 Wokingham has benefited from having its own special housing unit for homeless young people. This is called ‘Seaford Court’ and has accommodation for ten young people and supporting staff. Seaford Court has not always been there and may not have become a reality without the support of a number of Wokingham’s Churches, other organisations and people. CARITAS was the enterprise that was created to see this initiative to fulfillment. Its declared objective was ‘The building of a ten-unit hostel, professionally staffed, as a permanent contribution to the acute housing problems encountered by young people locally’.

History
One may be able to trace Seaford Court’s beginnings back to the formation of the housing charity ‘Shelter’, the national campaign for the homeless created in 1965. Within a year or so some 300 Shelter groups were started, one of which was in Wokingham. The Wokingham group started off concentrating its effort on raising funds for the national body but soon realised that Wokingham was not without its own housing problems that needed to be addressed in their own right. One might suggest that the problems have not improved with the problems than many now face due to house price inflation and paucity of affordable low-cost accommodation. The Wokingham Shelter group initially undertook a study of the local housing situation for young people. This revealed that there was no council house accommodation to let to young people, in need of accommodation, who sought it from the Housing Department. In Wokingham they were given advice and lists of agencies which might be able to help in Reading and Slough.

This factual report on housing conditions for young people in Wokingham, published in the mid 1980s was pointedly called ‘Wokingham says: Go away!

’That might have been it except for the fact that a year later a local couple, Chris with her husband John, were found to be providing temporary accommodation for youngsters in their own home. They came across the Shelter report and rang a friend Ray, then chairman of the local Shelter group. In brief the comments were “This is dreadful – we must do something about it!” or similar words.

As a consequence of this conversation, and with much inspiration from The Reverend Canon Ken Humphreys , then vicar (or was it rector) of St Mary and St John California, a new group was set up under the chairmanship of Rod Campbell to liaise with Wokingham Council. Eventually it acquired the use of first one then a second, older property, for use as emergency accommodation for homeless young people – known locally as ‘First Key’ and ‘Second Key’.

As a consequence of this conversation a group was set up under the chairmanship of Rod Campbell, at that time the directory of Wokingham Youth Service, which liaised with Wokingham Council and eventually acquired the use of first one then a second, older property, for use as emergency accommodation for homeless young people – known locally as ‘First Key’ and ‘Second Key’.

A number of people, mostly members from the local Wokingham Churches were then drawn together to support these houses providing desperately needed temporary accommodation. However because of the acute emotional and other problems that the residents brought with them the early years of ‘First Key’ and ‘Second Key’ were difficult, to say the least.

It was soon realised that these two houses could not provide a long term solution to the housing problems of young people in Wokingham and something else needed to be done. Fortunately at that time the ‘Wokingham Housing Forum’ had been established which represented the local authority, housing associations and interested voluntary groups. Out of this enterprise ‘CARITAS’ was formed, whose declared aim was ‘The building of a ten-unit hostel, professionally staffed, as a permanent contribution to the acute housing problems encountered by young people locally’, as previously mentioned. The local authority promised a gift of the site. Sanctuary Housing Associating offered to provide professional expertise, and did so, and the voluntary sector pledged itself to raise £100 000 towards building costs, and did so over the space for a few years.

Keys to this success were the dedication of Councilor Bob Wyatt who adopted CARITAS as his ‘Mayor’s Charity’ during his term in office (1992) and the generous support of all of Wokingham’s Churches.

As with all stories there were ups and downs. A number of the events seemed to happen at the right time with the right people talking to each other which then led onto ----. One might consider this to be a series of coincidences, others call it God-incidences, we prefer the latter interpretation. What ever interpretation or spin you may give it Wokingham now has ‘Seaford Court’ giving hope to young people, many of them in desperate need of support and accommodation.

Seaford Court CTW contact Jackie Mouradian