Ben’s Centre

Ben’s Centre is a charity that aims to provide a safe space and an open hand to those who suffer through substance and alcohol misuse and its associated barriers. We provide this through our outreach service, our day centre and our charity shop, Ben’s Bazaar. Ben’s Centre provides hot, nutritious food in a social setting where clients and staff eat together at regular times.

Practices

Our day centre, 22 Wilkinson Street Sheffield is a damp centre. This means that we allow clients to access our service while under the influence, as long as no substances are brought onto the premises. As far as we’re aware, we’re the only damp centre in Sheffield and its surrounding areas. We provide holistic support, giving our clients the stability they need to make progress in their life and the issues they are facing. We aim to become a ‘one-stop shop’, where clients can access support for a range of issues. We provide support through advice, food, warmth and access to facilities, and host a range of external teams & agencies for medical, housing and dependency issues. We do not push recovery onto anyone and our main priority is to provide a place for people to feel human. Ben’s Centre provides hot, nutritious food in a social setting where clients and staff eat together at regular times. Hot drinks are also available throughout the day. Clients are able to suggest ideas and preferences for meals. This is in the context of a flexible and holistic approach to making health and well-being support available in a safe and welcoming space. Surplus food is used where practical and appropriate (it was really interesting to hear about your experiences with this and when/how it has worked well or less well).