SPITALFIELDS CRYPT TRUST
Registered UK Charity No: 1075947
Founded in 1965, Spitalfields Crypt Trust helps people who are facing homelessness and drug and alcohol addictions to transform their lives. They aim to address peoples’ needs holistically – from housing, employability, health to social connections – all of which need careful attention to make sure people recover in the long-term.
During 2025, SCT accepted around 60 people onto its six-month recovery programme, with more than two thirds successfully completing and graduating. Considering the complexity of need among those supported, including trauma, adverse childhood experiences, poor physical and mental health, and entrenched patterns of substance dependence, this represents a significant achievement. Recovery is rarely a linear journey, and addiction is widely recognised as a chronic relapsing condition. Against this backdrop, these outcomes demonstrate the value of sustained, person-centred support in helping people make lasting changes in their lives.
Based in the heart of Shoreditch, East London, the charity supports the community with a number of programmes which include:
ACORN HOUSE
This is a 16-bed hostel offering a therapeutic programme for homeless men. Based in Shoreditch, the hostel sits above the charity’s Training and Development centre, next door to its two social enterprises, and is surrounded by their community gardens. On site they have trained counsellors, support workers and a therapeutic team, who guide residents through the rest of SCT’s services in the local area. Acorn House itself specialises in addiction recovery. The therapeutic programme offers abstinence-based treatment, including group and one-to-one counselling, where residents are encouraged to work through traumas and challenging behaviours. The charity works with hard-to-reach clients with complex needs, often those with a history of street homelessness.
MOVE-ON HOUSE
Upon graduating from the six-month recovery programme at Acorn House, residents may be offered a place at the charity’s move-on house in Leyton, London. Its sim is to provide friendly homes for men who are ready to move towards independent living. To support their ongoing recovery, maintain regular contact with their expert keyworker and continue to access the charity’s Training and Development programme and recovery community. Many begin going back to work or college or start work at one of the charity’s social enterprises.
HOUSING FIRST
SCT established its Housing First service in 2020 to support people facing some of the most severe and enduring forms of homelessness. Most of those supported have experienced repeated cycles of rough sleeping, trauma, poor health and exclusion from conventional services. Housing First reverses the traditional model by providing immediate access to a permanent home, coupled with intensive, wraparound support tailored to the individual's needs and aspirations. Since its inception, the service has maintained a tenancy sustainment rate of more than 80%, an outcome that reflects both the resilience of the people supported and the effectiveness of a model that prioritises housing, choice and long-term relationship-based support.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
The Training and Development centre offers a range of activities and training to men and women in recovery from addictions. Students are helped to improve self-esteem, develop creativity, learn skills, and get qualifications to help them move forward in their recovery journey. The centre also support residents and students through work experience at the charity’s social enterprises and charity shops. The charity’s Progression Service offers one-to-one support and advice to help people explore opportunities external to SCT such as volunteering, education, and employment.
CHOICES: A LONG-TERM RECOVERY COMMUNITY
Choices is a diverse community of people in recovery from addiction. Members attend Choices to connect with others and build a support network, gain confidence, try new things and support their recovery. Creative projects are run where the community work together over a number of workshops and wellbeing sessions to support positive mental health and wellbeing.
The work of the Spitalfields Crypt Trust provides a complete pathway for people with alcohol and drug addiction and with complex needs.
SOCIAL ENTERPRISES AND ONLINE CHARITY SHOP
The charity runs an online charity shop as well as two social enterprises that offer a supportive training ground and work experience, improving trainees’ CVs and employment prospects. At Paper & Cup, trainees learn specialty coffee and retail skills. Around the corner, Restoration Station teaches people woodwork, carpentry, and furniture restoration. Every penny made in the social enterprises goes towards supporting the recovery community in the local area.
Find out more about Spitalfields Crypt Trust.
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