The Archer Project
Supporting Local Charity
Sheffield Ceramics Festival seeks to give back to our community and in 2023 The Archer Project became our chosen charity and we donated £3,000 to the Archer Project, based at Sheffield Cathedral. They continue to be the charity that we will support in 2024.
The Archer Project offers a pathway from street homelessness to a settled life. They say that there is no one definitive journey and any pathway has to recognise individuality and personal choice. Through their engagement service they aim to reach people whose lives are marked by a lack of routine and planning, and repeated crises. they believe that small interventions make a big difference, such as sitting and having conversations whilst eating or having coffee, colouring-in, playing pool or table tennis. Most of their work to build trusting relationships happens inside their centre at the cathedral but they also do some outreach too, meeting people on the street who might be reluctant to come to the centre for whatever reason.
The Archer project’s Partnership Programme gives people the opportunity to volunteer in the centre doing all sorts of work with different levels of responsibility. For some it could be agreeing to make sure rooms are tidied after activities and at the end of the day, others will join the kitchen team and others will help manage the lounge or stores of donated food and clothes. Through it, volunteers become members of the Archer Project team and build confidence and self-esteem. They also offer help with making the transition from the streets to a settled home and health and well-being services. Their Fulfilment Services have the added opportunity of employment. They focus on helping people to enter employment and keep a work-life balance to avoid a return to homelessness and struggling to manage the pressures of life. The Health and Wellbeing Programme is an important aspect of helping people to think healthily as they start work.