Duke of Norfolk opens Flagship Centre for London’s Homeless (Gt Britain)

July 23, 2006

The Duke of Norfolk, Patron of Providence Row, marked the opening of a unique flagship centre for London’s homeless at 2pm on Monday the 3 July 2006.

The official opening marked the completion of a £4 million refurbishment project paid for by charitable donations and a £1 million grant from the Department for Local Government & Communities’ Hostels Improvement Programme. The Dellow Centre is near Brick Lane in London’s East End.

Key features of the refurbished Dellow Centre are:

New advice areas, new staff and volunteer areas, designer reception area, new showers, new offices and new activity spaces, a re-designed kitchen and new dining areas;
New entrances, feature gate and courtyard landscaping;
Creation of 18 new fully self-contained flats;
Improved layout to 40 existing hostel rooms inc. new dining areas and new kitchen; and
Solar energy.

Around twenty organisations will eventually work from the building with Providence Row providing services for up to sixty people every day. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which supports the centre through an annual grant, and the Corporation of London are key partners.

Steven Lee-Foster, Chief Executive of Providence Row, said:

“The Dellow Centre is now able to provide a range of services under one roof. The state of the art facilities set a new standard for services for homeless people and will help us continue our mission since 1860 which has been to provide a safe refuge for anyone with nowhere else to go.”

Messages to Philomena Bowers rsm Congregational Leader Union

The Duke of Norfolk opening the Centre