Lifehouse residents enjoy a festive day at St Helens College

College students team up with The Salvation Army to give homeless community a Christmas to remember

Residents and staff from The Salvation Army’s Lifehouse (hostel) in St Helens were treated to a Christmas themed day giving joy and hope for the year ahead thanks to students from St Helens College. 

Residents from Salisbury House, located on Phoenix Brow, along with residents from the church and charity’s supported housing schemes, Champions Court, on Appleton Road and houses on Egerton Street, spent a full day at the college with students treating them to a pamper session which included facials, manicures, haircuts and blow dries, a festive three-course lunch and finishing the day with a wreath making workshop. 

Emma Jones, service manager at The Salvation Army Salisbury House, said: “Whilst Christmas for many is a joyous time, for others the reality is very different and for some of our residents the festive period can be a time of reflection, anguish and an even more lonely period of their lives.

“College students giving up their day to share in love, encouragement and support can be a game changer and gives a much-needed boost to the start of a new year. A new year which can be looked on with hope and new beginnings, showing people do care and that our residents do matter. We send our heartfelt thanks to St Helens College for their generous donations and to all the staff and students that were involved in giving our residents a Christmas to remember.”

Salisbury House is a hostel for men and women within St Helens and can accommodate 64 people every night through supported accommodation rooms, temporary accommodation in the form of NAPpads (overnight pods), and three internal rooms with camp beds. A referral is needed and provided by the local authority’s housing team and Whitechapel outreach service.