Routes to Roots, a charity in Poole that provides a daily drop-in centre for the town’s homeless and vulnerably housed, has welcomed Andy Mason as its new manager and volunteer co-ordinator.
Andy moved to Poole after training to be a vicar, and took the role at Roots to Routes after the previous manager, Helen Tucker, left.
Alongside his work with the charity, Andy is also working with The PACE Trust (Programme for Applied Christian Education) and a number of local primary schools. Talking about his new position, Andy said: “I am very excited about joining the team at Routes to Roots and as a passionate Christian, I look forward to putting my values and principles into practice.
“It presents a great opportunity for me to play an important role in this wonderful charity which provides vital support to those who, for many complex reasons, find themselves sleeping rough or without permanent accommodation.”
Following the UK-wide lockdown, many of Poole’s homeless citizens were evicted from temporary accommodation and returned to the streets, so the help Routes to Roots provides is crucial. Due to the current restrictions, they can only help by providing a daily takeaway lunch for those in need, but they hope to offer more one-to-one support as we head towards winter.
Sessions like these offer support and advice to vulnerable people in housing and the homeless. They are temporarily operating out of the United Reformed Church in Skinner Street while their permanent home in Hill Street is under renovation.
For more information about the work undertaken by Routes to Roots, visit their website.