Help someone recover from homelessness - for good

At a time where homelessness continues to rise, continued support enables our vital programmes and services to reach those who need it most. Together, we are creating lasting change and helping more people move towards a future free from homelessness.

Last year we helped more than 26,000 people across 138 services. Our services meet our clients wherever they are, from rough sleeping support and emergency accommodation, to finding a longer-term home, and skills and training services to get people into work.  

Over the past year, our Putting Down Roots (PDR) programme has continued to support people recovering from homelessness, helping them grow confidence, routine and connection through gardening. It is fully funded through fundraised income and supports clients across London and Bristol. Taking part in a regular outdoor group activity boosts wellbeing, encourages inclusion, and offers the chance to learn new skills.

Between April 25-March 26, the service:

• Supported 237 people through the Putting Down Roots (PDR) programme.
• Enabled 35 clients to undertake training towards a City & Guilds qualification, with 34 successfully achieving certification.
• Reported that 85% of surveyed clients experienced improved wellbeing.
• Delivered 390 PDR sessions across our services, including 190 at our core site and 200 through in-reach* provision.

*In-reach sessions are delivered at hostel sites to engage people who may not yet feel ready to travel to our core locations.

Thanks to donations like yours, achievements like the above have been possible.

About St Mungo's

St Mungo’s purpose is to end homelessness and rebuild lives. Amid some of the highest levels of homelessness and
rough sleeping on record, support from generous partners like Stewarts Law is needed more than ever before.
In Autumn 2024, 4,667 people were recorded sleeping rough in England – a 20% increase on the
previous year and 164% higher than in 2010. Last year, St Mungo’s supported 26,012 people who were homeless, or at risk of homelessness. Of these, 10,240 people (our clients) were supported by one of our 14 outreach services.

We ran 138 services in total, in London and across the south of England. These services include support and
recovery projects to address the complex causes of homelessness, including poverty, trauma and mental health.
Without the right support, many of our clients fall back into crisis. Our services focus on providing ongoing mental
health support, structure and community, as well as rebuilding confidence, facilitating personal development and
meaningful employment opportunities.

Putting Down Roots

Overcoming poor mental health, substance misuse and a lack of skills are common challenges faced by people when
recovering from homelessness. We assess clients to establish tailored support they need, and of the people we
assessed last year, 76% said their mental health hindered their recovery, or caused distress.

Engaging in meaningful and therapeutic activities, whilst learning new and transferable skills, enables people to
overcome these challenges whilst improving their self-confidence and wellbeing. Putting Down Roots is an entirely voluntarily funded and innovative gardening project providing horticulture training to people
who have experienced homelessness. PDR helps to build people’s self-esteem, confidence and sociability. It
establishes a routine by asking participants to commit to attending regular horticulture sessions and taking
responsibility in caring for plants.

Over 85% of participants reported feeling more positive about the future, better equipped to handle
challenges, and more confident communicating with others — key indicators of the programme’s impact on
recovery. Students are supported by qualified Gardener Trainers to develop a variety of skills in green spaces, working
towards achieving an accredited City & Guilds Award, Certificate & Diploma in Horticulture Skills.

Project Outcomes

o PDR supported a total of 208 clients.
o A total of 190 sessions were delivered across our 3 core sites.
o In- reach sessions were conducted at 28 different accommodation services across London and Bristol.
o Approximately 180 in-reach sessions were delivered during this period.

Participant Outcomes

Wellbeing Outcomes:

o 95% of programme participants were proud of the skills they had developed
o 89% of programme participants felt they had learned new skills which will help them in life
o 85% of programme participants felt they had made progress in their recovery

Volunteering & Training Outcomes:

o From December 2024, delivery of a Level 1 City & Guilds Award in Practical Horticulture Skills
began for clients seeking formal gardening qualifications
o By March 2025, 15 core-site clients had achieved the Award and received their City &
Guilds certificates
o Another 11 clients were registered to undertake the qualification in April/May 2025

Employment Outcomes:

o 3 clients gained employment between June 2024 - 2025In September 2024, an ex-PDR client began a 2-year paid apprenticeship at Kew Gardens.