Cheltenham Open Door

Cheltenham Open Door supports vulnerable, disadvantaged and lonely people. We aim to relieve poverty, hardship and social or emotional distress. Our Guests are men and women who have been deprived of the comforts and security most of us take for granted and we offer them hospitality, warmth, food and somewhere to relax. The people who come through our doors come from all walks of life. They may be experiencing mental health difficulties, in or recovering from addiction, isolated from friends and family, in financial difficulty, sleeping rough or in a hostel or on a friend’s floor. Cheltenham Open Door is not linked to a church and religion is not part of the services we offer. We welcome guests of all faiths and none. We do not ask questions of our Guests and they need no booking or referral to visit us. We are a warm, friendly, welcoming place and guests often describe Open Door as like “visiting a friend’s house”. We do not judge and all the services we offer are free. Cheltenham Open Door receives no central funding and relies entirely on donations to run. Originally founded in 1992 as Open Door at Christmas, we gradually expanded and developed our work. Taking the new name of Cheltenham Open Door, we become both a registered charity and limited company. Open Door has been operating from our Grosvenor Street base since 1998 with a mixture of staff and volunteers. Our values drive everything we do. They guide our decisions and help us evolve our services.* Putting our Guests first We always act in the interests of our Guests.* Always a friendly welcome We provide a welcoming and safe space.* Showing consideration for others We treat everyone with respect and kindness.* Acting with compassion We are fair and non-judgemental.* Seeing the individual Our independence allows us to consider the needs of the individual.