North Devon homelessness charity wins prominent national award

A North Devon charity that works to tackle homelessness, poverty and help those suffering abuse has won an influential national health award.

Encompass Southwest has secured one of this year’s GSK IMPACT Awards, a prestigious honour for health and care charities in the UK awarded by global biopharma company GSK in partnership with The King’s Fund.

The 10 winners will all receive a £40,000 donation as well as free training and development opportunities plus a great chance to network with like-minded organisations.

The overall winner will be announced at the national awards ceremony on May 13.

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The award recognised the work carried out by Encompass supporting people across North Devon and Torridge facing homelessness, poverty and related challenges such as debt and poor mental or physical health.

Last year across 23 projects it supported almost 2,000 people, which included more than 200 young people.

Judges were particularly impressed by the Barnstaple-based charity’s overall holistic approach, recognising that these issues are often closely linked, creating multiple complex needs and supporting people to move from crisis towards long-term stability.

The awards are widely seen as a hallmark of excellence in the charity health sector and are designed to recognise outstanding small and medium-sized charities working to improve people’s health and wellbeing in the UK.

Award judges also praised Encompass Southwest for its outstanding partnership work, including its collaboration with One Northern Devon to bring together NHS, local authority and voluntary sector partners through its ‘Flow’ projects.

For example, the High Intensity Flow programme supports adults who frequently attend A&E (more than 20 times a year) and has led to a 57% reduction in emergency department visits among participants.

Other Flow projects support older people with complex needs returning home from hospital and young people living with physical health conditions.

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Encompass also created the System Change Action Alliance, bringing together voluntary and public sector organisations to improve services. This work led to Brave Spaces, a partnership supporting women experiencing domestic abuse and homelessness.

Claire Fisher, CEO of Encompass, said the award meant the world to everyone at the charity, from staff and supporters to the people they work to help.

She added: “We have worked tirelessly to shape our services, so they truly meet the needs of our community, ensuring that the people who use them have a genuine voice in how they are designed and delivered.

“To be given the opportunity to network with other winners, not only from this year but from previous years, provides us with a resource we have never had before.

“We intend to connect, collaborate and learn from others to further enhance the support we offer to people living across Northern Devon and beyond.”

Above: Encompass Southwest CEO Claire Fisher (centre) with charity staff at a Gaia Flow fundraising event in Bideford. 

Lisa Weaks, senior associate at The King’s Fund, said: “Encompass Southwest has developed pioneering services that place dignity, safety and lived experience at the centre of support.

“The charity clearly identifies the needs of the local population in rural communities and delivers its expertise with compassion. Across a range of projects and through strong local partnerships, the charity excels at supporting people holistically by providing support for housing, poverty, physical and mental ill health, trauma and other complex needs.”

Encompass Southwest began in 1996 as the then Barnstaple Poverty Action Group, running a soup kitchen for people who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Since 2015, it has expanded its work to address health inequalities, working alongside the NHS and local authorities to support people facing multiple disadvantages, including homelessness and alcohol or substance misuse.

Today, it provides staffed housing alongside one-to-one support, helping people access services such as GP care and debt advice.

The charity also supports rough sleepers, first meeting immediate needs before helping people move into accommodation.

It believes safe, stable housing is the foundation for recovery and offers support without requiring people to meet conditions such as abstinence.

The charity also runs preventative programmes, including monthly wellbeing groups for 11 to 17-year-olds, practical support for young people at risk of homelessness, including those leaving care and groups for women experiencing multiple disadvantages including domestic violence and homelessness

Claire Fisher concluded: “Recognition from The King’s Fund and GSK not only validates our approach but also strengthens our ability to showcase our work to future funders and gives others confidence that we deliver exactly what we promise.”