Background to Open Door

•  1992 - St Albans City and District Council and the Council of Chuches of St Albans became concerned at the number of homeless people sleeping rough in the city, and a small group of volunteers set up a temporary night shelter in a flat in Victoria Street for 3 months. It was so successful that the Council made 8 Bricket Road available as a permanent night shelter.

•  1993 - On the 3rd of November Open Door opened its doors at Bricket Road and began supporting people who had experienced homelessness, for a variety of reasons, and those who were at risk of turning or returning to rough sleeping. Since this day Open Door has been open every night.
•          - It was realised that with the special needs of the service users it was impractical for the shelter to be run by volunteers. St Albans and District Churches Housing Association, which had been set up by the Council of Churches in 1965, were asked to take over Open Door's management.

• 1995 - Open Door began a daytime drop-in service, to give additional support to those using the night shelter and to other homeless and vulnerable people in St Albans. The drop in service has flourished since that time, thanks to generous donations from the Open Door Charity's supporters, and the work of loyal volunteers.

• 2003 - St Albans and District Housing Association merged with Hightown Praetorian Housing Association to become Hightown Praetorian and Churches Housing Association (Hightown).

• 2008 - After 15 years of sustained use, the building at 8 Bricket Road was in urgent need of redevelopment. Hightown together with the Open Door Charity embarked upon a major redevelopment project at Bricket Road. The Charity launched a fundraising appeal which raised some £300,000 to supplement a grant of £525,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government's Places for Change programme.

• 2010 - On the 12th of April the newly refurbished Open Door was officially opened by the Mayor and the new service began. The project benefits from a new build to the front of the building and the provision of 12 single ensuite bedrooms - a vast improvement over the previous 3 cramped bunk-bedded dormitories. Improvement were made in kitchen and laundry areas, and in the staff accommodation. The communal areas have been upgraded and for the first time computers installed for the service users.

• 2011 - In Partnership with St Albans City and District Council, the Local Community Safety Partnership and NHS Hertfordshire, Hightown launched a new  'Safe Streets' Outreach Service based at Open Door. The new street outreach and resettlement worker works to reduce the number of rough sleepers locally and tackle disruptive activity on the streets, working with homeless people to support them to leave the streets by providing advice and referrals to health services, counselling, housing and benefits.

• Present Day - Since the service first opened in 1993 Open Door has supported over 7,000 people who have experienced homelessness, for a variety of reasons, and those who are at risk of turning, or returning to rough-sleeping. Open Door is the only self-referral night shelter for homeless people in Hertfordshire. As well as offering a safe bed for the night, a shower and a hot meal, the staff and the volunteers at Open Door treat the residents with dignity and respect, building their confidence and self-esteem and helping them to start rebuilding their lives.
•                   - Open Door's Drop In Centre supports homeless people to address the problems leading to their homelessness, helping them to access physical and mental healthcare, guiding them towards drug and alcohol rehabilitation and supporting their search for employment and the first steps towards finding a more permanent home.
•                   - The Open Door Charity continues to work hard to raise money to support the project and the people who use it, and promote volunteering. They fund the annual shortfall between public sector grants and the annual cost of running Open Door, and also fund some extra support services, including a counselling service. Volunteers have always been at the heart of what Open Door does, especially in preparing and serving meals. Volunteers also give the Open Door service-users valuable informal social contact, and are intrinsic to their well-being while they stay at Open Door. Hightown is working with the Open Door Charity to extend the opportunities for volunteering.