Welcome to The Bus Shelter Ipswich – Building Hope, From The Ground Up

SO incredibly excited to be launching our brand new website and share more of our mission with the wider community. Since 2016, our team has been working hard to make a real difference for individuals and families facing homelessness, addiction, and hardship in Ipswich and the surrounding Suffolk area. As we continue, we invite you to explore our work, celebrate with us for all our achievements, and learn how you can help us make an even greater impact.

Our Journey Since 2016: Responding to a Growing Need

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-essex-38782653

The Bus Shelter Ipswich began with a simple yet powerful mission: to provide shelter, resources, and hope to those experiencing homelessness. Our founder, Gareth Brenland, started the organisation after meeting a homeless man outside a restaurant, an encounter that highlighted the urgent need for support in our community. Putting his career on hold, Gareth converted a bus into a temporary shelter and, with the help of our supporters, launched what would become a lifeline for many people in need.

Over the years, our services have expanded significantly. We operate CHEYS, an outreach bus that travels around Ipswich providing essential items like clothing, toiletries, and hot meals. Our team also provides support and guidance, helping individuals connect with services that can change their lives. During severe weather, we activate emergency protocols to provide shelter, ensuring that no one in our community is left out in the cold.

Our food bank, located at our Wherstead Road site, has become another crucial resource, serving individuals and families facing food insecurity. As of 2023, nearly 14 million people in the UK live in poverty, with many struggling to afford the basics, including food-referral food bank offers much-needed relief, ensuring that everyone who comes to us can leave with enough to eat.

Homelessness in the UK: Why Our Work Matters Now More Than Ever

Homelessness in the UK has reached alarming levels. Currently, over 270,000 people in the country experience homelessness, with factors like rising housing costs, economic hardship, and limited access to support services contributing to this crisis. In Suffolk, the crisis has been steadily worsening, and local shelters and support services are often overwhelmed. For young people, veterans, and vulnerable adults, the challenge of finding secure housing can feel insurmountable.

While national statistics paint a sobering picture, our experience on the ground has shown us that impact is possible. Each night our outreach bus operates, we see first-hand the power of community support and how simple acts of kindness can change lives. We aren't a cure for the driving forces behind homelessness, but we are a practical and emotional support while people navigate them. Through our ongoing efforts, we are committed to providing not just temporary relief but proven pathways to a brighter future for those we serve.

Celebrating Our Achievements and Looking Ahead

Since our founding, The Bus Shelter Ipswich has grown from a single bus offering temporary shelter to a multi-service community interest company with a wide-reaching impact. In addition to our outreach bus and food bank, we’re expanding our services to include emergency accommodations using upcycled shipping containers. Thanks to donations and support from local businesses, we’re transforming those shipping containers into comfortable, secure support spaces. Our first 40ft container will host a family bedroom, a double bedroom, and a kitchen, and with additional donations, and we plan to build even more safe spaces for those without a roof over their heads. From there, from the ground up —people have the opportunity to thrive. 

Through all the challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, our team and volunteers have shown remarkable resilience and dedication. From distributing food parcels during lockdowns to adapting our services to meet health guidelines, we’ve continued to deliver support to those who need it most. This journey has been made possible by the generous contributions of volunteers, donors, and local businesses. Together, we are showing that Ipswich is a community that cares. 

Join Us in Making a Difference

As we look to the future, we know there’s still much to be done. Homelessness remains a critical issue, but with your help, we can expand our reach and make a lasting impact. By donating to The Bus Shelter Ipswich, you’re supporting essential services like our outreach bus, food bank, and the creation of emergency accommodations and safe spaces to rebuild lives. Every donation, whether big or small, brings us closer to a world where no one has to sleep rough.

Your support goes directly to helping individuals and families regain stability and hope. Together, we can build a stronger, more compassionate Ipswich.

Donate time or funds today and be part of the safety-net. We aren’t the solution. In truth, we shouldn’t exist. Nor should food banks. But while principal government continues to fail the most vulnerable of our communities, we aren’t any of us going anywhere. 

With your support, we can continue to provide shelter, support, and a path forward for those facing homelessness. We’re only ever 1 life event away from facing it ourselves. 

Thank you for joining us!

Sources:

1. The Trussell Trust - Hunger in the UK

2. Shelter UK - Homelessness in the UK: Facts and Figures