New Beginnings Reading

Reading, Berkshire has particular issues with homelessness and child poverty. With increased local demand on public funding, the local council, local charities and churches have had to come up with a different approach to support rough sleepers and families who become homeless. The End Child Poverty figures released in January 2018, showed almost a quarter of children in Reading living on the breadline. The data suggests that between July and September 2017, as many as 8,679 children were living in poverty in Reading. In order to help provide some local solutions to those in need, New Beginnings Reading was set up in May 2017. Our aims are: • The prevention and relief of poverty and financial hardship of persons in Reading who are in need due to social or economic reasons. • To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people in Reading from becoming socially excluded. To achieve these aims, we have raised funds, encouraged volunteers, rented and made significant improvements to a building in central Reading. The premises offer an alcohol-free and drug-free safe place to stay for Reading's homeless and needy