The Ashley Foundation

The Ashley Foundation is a registered homeless charity (Reg. No.1063208) established in 1997 for the purpose of ‘providing accommodation and support to single persons in need’.

We operate in the North West of England, in the Lancashire towns of Blackpool and Blackburn. In the Blackpool area we have three hostels; Elm House (28 beds); Oak House (20 beds) and Holly House (14 beds) as well as 40 self-contained move-on accommodation units, spread over 8 sites. In Blackburn we operate another three hostels; Union House (48 beds); Islington House (53 beds) and Canterbury House (24 beds).

The Ashley Foundation currently employs 33 full-time staff, 3 part-time staff and 5 volunteers who work as mentors with our hostel residents and at our 2 charity shops. We also have a board of 6 trustees.

The Ashley Foundation is committed to treating individuals with dignity and respect and is determined to offer the opportunity and the support necessary to encourage and to enable personal growth and self-development, regardless of gender; marital status; sexual orientation; ethnic origin; religious belief; disability; age or political allegiance.

The organisation employs a diverse and dedicated team of Support Officers, Hostel Managers, Night Duty Supervisors and volunteers whose main objective involves creating a strategy which will encourage residents to take control of their own lives, by developing the skills necessary for independent living. The team aims to increase self-esteem, improve motivation and raise levels of confidence by the meeting and overcoming of challenging situations.

These aims are achieved by offering practical support, advice, assistance, advocacy, representation and counselling. The team works with a variety of clients with a number of issues, such as drug/alcohol dependence, mental health issues, learning difficulties and ex-offenders.