‘To see lives transform’ - our mission statement

The King’s Arms Project has been working with the homeless in Bedford since 1989. Our main objective is to – ‘Restore dignity and self-worth to the homeless & disadvantaged in a way which encourages responsibility and choice’.  We work with a wide range of homeless clients, the vast majority of whom have some degree of drug and alcohol addiction, chaotic backgrounds, unemployment and mental health issues. Our provision includes:

• Friday Night Meeting – a weekly community meal for the homeless and rough sleepers. This takes place in the centre of Bedford and provides hot food for 40-60 clients per week.
• Nightshelter – we provide an 18-bed direct-access overnight accommodation to which individual rough sleepers can self-refer. Approx 6,500 bed spaces are offered per annum together with support to prepare for and access stable accommodation plus a weekly free ‘surgery’ provided by a local GP.
• Barton House – a 14-bed hostel providing supported accommodation for between 30 – 40 residents per year. Clients have access to keyworker support to tackle issues resulting from chaotic lifestyles and also learn the basic life skills essential for a successful progression to independent living.
• Onward floating service – giving focussed individual support enabling clients to access and maintain suitable accommodation.  Uniquely, Onward can provide support at every stage of the journey out of homelessness, from rough sleeping through to independent tenacy and accommodation.
• Streetwork – involving our support workers engaging informally with a wide range of street homeless clients and helping them to access services and support.