Amanda Bennett

St. George’s Crypt

We are a charity in the City of Leeds, working with the homeless, the vulnerable and those suffering from addiction. St George's Crypt has come a long way from its roots back in 1930, but the vision remains; supporting the homeless and vulnerable of Leeds. Revd. Don Robins saw need in the city, opened up the Crypt below his Church and, not without consternation from his parishioners, met the need as he saw it. The charity established partnerships with doctors, nurses, local politicians, media stars and the local Leeds community in its early development. He set up one of the first social enterprises, turning scrap metal into coat hangers. This innovative and partnership driven approach is what has nourished and supported the Crypt to continue offering its service over the years. We continue to develop health and wellbeing opportunities, working closely with the NHS, council and charities to offer a range of services including drug/alcohol rehabilitation physiotherapy, liver clinics, leg dressing clinics, optometry, dentistry, podiatry and occupational therapy. We have built a range of social enterprises in retail and catering, offering development and training opportunities to our homeless and vulnerable clients. We still offer our lunch service to anyone who comes to the door, 3 meals a day 7 days a week to our residents, showers, tea and coffee, advice and support; the sense of community. This is the cornerstone of the charity and from this we have built a living church of support for homeless and vulnerable people in Leeds.