Oxfordshire Homeless Movement
The Porch Day Centre
The Porch
Doesn't provide shelter
Provides guidance
Provides new skill learning
Accepts time
Doesn't accept things
Accepts money
Contact Details
OX4 1Rl
Service Type
Day service
Operating Hours
10am - 7pm Mon - Fri, 12pm - 7pm Sat
Service Description
The Porch provides day services for those who are homeless or vulnerably housed. It offers one-to-one support and focuses on the individual, working collaboratively with partner agencies to address any identified issues in a holistic way.
The day centre can accommodate 74 people at any one time and on average sees 54 people a day. In addition to support it provides access to a laundry, showers, a clothing store, and an IT room. It also serves two freshly prepared meals each day.
The Porch was recently awarded The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of its work within the voluntary sector and its engagement with the local and wider community over the past 30 years.
The centre’s catering manager, Lorraine Green, has been awarded The High Sheriff’s Award for her 15 years of dedicated service to the Porch’s members and for the in-house training opportunities she has provided, which have created employment pathways for many people.
Key functions & activities offered
- Open six days a week, plus all Bank Holidays (including Christmas Day)
- On-site café providing wholesome and nourishing low cost lunches and suppers
- Tailored support plans and an allocated support worker, on request
- Dedicated employment coach for vocational skills training and employment support
- One-to-one professional counselling
- Laundry facilities and showers
- Free clothing store
- Suite of internet-enabled PCs
- Library
- Social enterprise - Porch Preserves
- Partnership working to provide drop-in surgeries with Turning Point, OXSPOT, and The Big Issue
Structured activities
- Art classes, allotment and orchard, yoga lessons, film club, bingo, quiz nights
- Adult literacy classes and creative writing group
- Complementary therapies: reiki, reflexology, Bowen technique, acupuncture, yoga
- Day trips and theatre visits
- Special events – lectures and presentations from leading experts