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Rally is a project working with the homeless and vulnerably housed in the city of Nottingham. Whilst responding to clients’ immediate needs by providing hot nutritious food and company, Rally acts a gateway project, helping clients to access other services they need. Rally is seen as an opportunity to develop relationships with clients, the vast majority of whom are facing issues of drug and/or alcohol dependency. Through these relationships, the clients will often access Aspire Mentoring and then be helped to access services that can address the root cause of their homelessness.
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Rally was so named by one of our service users, 'because you all Rally around us'. Over 120 volunteers serve regularly in the project, which helps around 60 clients a night, 4 nights a week. According to Nottinghamshire Police, Rally reaches some of the city's hardest to reach drug users - those who are not accessing help anywhere else. By providing on-site volunteer mentors, the traditional 'soup kitchen' model has been transformed into a vital gateway, through which clients with chaotic lives can find the supportive relationships they need, from trained volunteers, who can help them start to address the issues at the root of their homelessness. A client recently commented, 'Rally literally saved my life'. Additional on-site services are also being developed at Rally to make it as easy as possible for clients to access help. This includes first aid from qualified nurses, money/debt advice (at the request of clients) and supported volunteering opportunities - helping clients build confidence, skills and vital experience ready for a step back into the work place.