New space to provide mental health support to Swindon’s homeless
The Booth House is run by The Salvation Army
Homeless people supported by Swindon's Salvation Army have been given a new space to reduce stress and anxiety.
The Booth House - which supports people who are trying to find their way back into own accommodation - now features a sensory room.
The space will allow them to listen to music, use massage pads or just enjoy a moment of silence.
Assistant Support Worker Jason Wiles told Greatest Hits Radio: “I’ve been through addiction and homelessness myself. It just feels nice that somebody's taking the time to acknowledge you're a person rather than just another number on a sheet or just another person living in a room.
“And it shows that somebody does care and the people are there to help you and that just builds self-esteem to help them get through the day.”
Mr Wiles and his colleague Connor Graham came up with the idea when they noticed how many residents and members of staff regularly struggled with stress, anxiety and sensory overload.
They took the idea to the Booth House’s Facilities and Admin Coordinator, Emma Climpson-Boddy, and after they were given the go-ahead started to remove old furniture, order equipment and paint the room.
Thanks to creative sourcing and charitable donations, they were able to turn the project around quickly.
'A million miles away'
The space now features massage chairs, adjustable LED lighting, Bluetooth music, aromatherapy diffusers and Himalayan salt lamps.
When using the room, residents and staff can busy themselves with fidget toys, adult colouring books, a chalkboard wall and a “tree of hope” where they can leave inspirational notes.
“Jay and the other members of staff who've worked really hard to create in this room, have created a space where you walk in there and you could be a million miles away from the Lifehouse setting”, said Ms Climpson-Boddy.
“We're 50 beds, so we're quite busy generally. But as soon as you walk in that room, you can forget all of that. You can block all of that out because it's very calming. It's really hard to describe, but it is very beautiful.”
The room has already become a vital part of the Lifehouse for many residents.
Jason, a resident at the Booth House, said: “The sensory room has been really helpful for me – especially when I needed to take my mind off difficult things. The vibration chair, the tree for post-it notes, and the fidget toys all made a difference. All that helps you breathe and think clearly. I’d recommend it to anyone going through a tough time. On behalf of the residents, we’re grateful for this space.”
Ms Climpson-Boddy added: “We just try to be as inclusive as we possibly can. We want people to feel comfortable. We want them to feel valued as well, because often the misconception is that as soon as you are accommodated somewhere like this that your homelessness stops well.”
“But often this is the start of it, because you're here to prepare to learn new skills and develop to be able to get your own accommodation. That's quite stressful. So, we just want to give people the opportunities and having the sensory room helps relieve some of the stress.”
Help available for homelessness
If you or someone you know is struggling with or facing homelessness, you can contact the Booth House by calling 01793 401830 or sending an email to [email protected]