25 February 2014
The Lieutenant-Governor has officially opened a new facility in St Helier, providing a valuable addition to the accommodation available for Islanders who have been affected by homelessness.
Evans House, formerly Roseneath, closed in December 2011, but was subsequently acquired by the States of Jersey and is being run through a collaboration between the Health and Social Services Department and the Shelter Trust.
The property has been substantially refurbished at a cost of £250,000 and opened its doors just before Christmas 2013. It has been renamed Evans House as a tribute to the late Winifred Evans, whose generous bequest provided a significant proportion of the funding for the project.
Opening by Shelter Trust patron
The new facility was opened by General Sir John McColl, the Lieutenant-Governor, who is a patron of the Shelter Trust and has taken a close interest in the challenges faced by homeless people since his arrival in Jersey.
A total of 22 newly refurbished rooms are available at Evans House, which is staffed 24/7 and also includes communal lounge, dining and laundry areas. The first residents moved in from the emergency accommodation they previously occupied at Aztec House, and the facility is now moving towards full occupancy.
Chairman of the Shelter Trust, Nick Gorrod, said “The opening of the new service has allowed us to secure single-room occupancy for homeless people, which is a long-term goal of the Trust.
“We are indebted to all those who have supported the project, particularly Winifred Evans and the Jersey Homeless Outreach Group, who provided much of the resource to furnish the sleeping rooms.”
Reconfiguration of services completed
The addition of Evans House completes the reconfiguration of homelessness services provided by the Shelter Trust. There is now a range of accommodation for homeless people and socially excluded adults, accessible at any point depending on individual needs. This comprises:
- the emergency accommodation at Aztec House
- a dedicated service for young adults aged 16-25 at Strathmore – another collaboration with HSSD
- provision for mature adults aged over 25 at Midvale Road and Evans House
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