Cheltenham – Vittoria Walk
Supported accommodation in the centre of Cheltenham
Our flagship £4.1m supported accommodation building in the centre of Cheltenham welcomed its first residents in summer 2014, and was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal in July 2015. We are extremely grateful for the support of the Homes & Communities Agency, local and national charitable trusts and foundations, and to YMCA members, supporters, staff and volunteers, all of whom worked with us, donating their time, financial and prayer support, to make this dream a reality.
With 73 rooms, this purpose-built accommodation provides a range of accommodation options – self-contained flats, communal kitchen/social areas, ground floor accommodation for wheelchair access, with each room having its own en suite shower room. The rooms are fully furnished with residents needing only to provide their bedding and personal toiletries.
Experienced support team
We have our own team of specialist workers and each of them takes a lead role in a particular area to provide and develop excellent standards of care and support. Some examples of the different areas are:
- Mental health
- Substance misuse
- Criminal justice
- Activities and diversions
- Family reconciliation
- Group work
- Spiritual development
- Education and training
- Move on and after support
- Resident consultation
- Counselling
- Individual support plan
On arriving at the YMCA, each person is allocated a support worker and together they will develop a personal plan of the goals they wish to achieve. The resident and support worker will meet regularly to review progress, to encourage and to set new goals as required, all with a view to being able to move into independent living. For some, the goals are achieved within a few months, for others this can take a lot longer and residents are able to stay with us for up to two years.
Resident activities
A range of organised activities are available to residents; these currently include painting and other forms of art, upcycling, sewing, creative writing, sunrise walks, cooking and regular trips to our own sports centre for indoor football, use of the fitness suite and other sports. This list is far from exhaustive and residents are encouraged to suggest new activities and are given the support and guidance to successfully set up and run their own groups. One of our most popular groups is the weekly “Third Letter Group” which is used to explore the meaning behind the “C” in YMCA – Christianity and the Christian faith.
How to access our accommodation
If you, or someone that you know, is experiencing homelessness or living in unsuitable accommodation and you think they can benefit from the support and safety that living at the YMCA can provide, please contact our housing support team in the first instance.