CRASH is appealing to UK architects for help with its vital work providing refurbishment and construction projects for adult homelessness and hospices for adults and children. CEO Trish Pickersgill explains how you can help.

CRASH has helped to revamp Manna in Islington, a day centre offering support to people who are marginalised, vulnerable or homeless.

What is CRASH?
CRASH is the construction industry charity supporting vital refurbishment and construction projects for adult homelessness or children and adults’ hospices.  We have been supporting projects for 28 years. We are supported by 34 Patron companies from across the industry providing professional expertise through all stages of construction and/or pro bono or discounted construction products. Patrons and supporters provide financial support enabling CRASH to award grants to projects.  

What can architects do to help?
A number of the CRASH projects need an architect to help with the initial concept and to develop the scheme design documents. We rely on architects’ professional expertise to advise and guide the project, ensuring that the best solutions are achieved often within challenging financial constraints. Having a professional to support projects from start to finish, and to provide help with navigating the minefield of the construction world is invaluable to the charity sector.

Can you give examples of the kind of projects you’ve worked on?
The projects CRASH supports are relatively small in scale compared to the construction industry projects. Completed projects include Manna, a day centre in Islington that supports people who are marginalised, vulnerable or homeless. With an average of 90 visitors a day, they offer a safe place where people can visit without judgment. Their shower room is used more than 25 times each day, and as such was getting a little tired. CRASH helped to revamp the space, turning it into a modern, clean, and easy to maintain space. CRASH Patrons spotted a few more projects they could support: updating the dining room flooring, adding energy efficient lighting, and kitting out the kitchen. They even created a custom colour palette that gives the whole area a warm, cozy vibe that feels just right! Thanks to the generosity of our supporters CRASH was able to provide £3,345.93 worth of discounted materials, £3,570.25 worth of pro bono materials and £51,129.51 worth of professional expertise as well as grant funding of £39,940.

Live projects include St. Wilfrid’s Centre, Sheffield, which provides practical help and support to homeless and vulnerable people, and currently has 171 clients. The Centre, which provides basic welfare, support, and group/educational activities, is renovating an an adjacent garage into a new café and shop, alongside improving accessibility into the main building and is also looking to upgrade parking facilities. To date, CRASH patron Arcadis has provided professional expertise, including £24,701 worth of cost consultancy and architectural services.

We are also working on The Lewis Manning Hospice in Poole, which provides support to adults living with life-limiting illnesses, with around 700 people using their services each year. To cope with increasing demand, the Hospice has purchased an additional property that will house their therapy and bereavement and family support services. Some building work and renovation is required to make the building fit for purpose, including making it accessible for all patients. CRASH patrons have provided support through professional expertise, architectural support, and structural engineering expertise.

If anybody’s interested in offering their help, how do they follow it up?
Please make initial contact through by email: info@CRASH.org.uk
We would love to hear from you.