Over the past few months, we have been taking a careful look at the future of our Bournemouth Dignity Centre and how we can continue to support people in a way that is safe and sustainable.
We have now taken the difficult decision to close the Centre permanently at the end of September.
We know this follows a period of closure and uncertainty, and we are sorry to our members and the wider community for the disruption this has caused. Changes within our team have made this a particularly challenging period, and we are grateful for the patience and understanding people have shown us.
When we opened the Bournemouth Dignity Centre, we wanted to create a welcoming place where people could access practical support, advice and community under one roof. As demand grew, the range of support people sought from us expanded and it became increasingly challenging to operate the Centre safely and responsibly within our resources.
At the same time, the environment in which we are working has changed. The location of the Centre, the number of people using it and the wider climate around refugee and asylum support have all created new security and safeguarding considerations. We do not believe that continuing with the same model is the right thing to do.
Supporting members through the transition
Until the end of September, we will open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 10am–4pm, with a reduced service.
Our priority during this period is to make sure members understand what is changing and are supported to access other services in the area. We will therefore be working closely with local partners, making referrals and signposting people towards organisations best placed to provide ongoing specialist support.
We will continue to provide welcome packs for newly arrived people, alongside a limited range of practical administrative support, such as reading and copying documents, helping make appointments, etc. Rather than trying to recreate the full range of services previously offered at the Centre, our focus will be on helping people make a supported transition to other sources of help.
What comes next
This does not mean the end of our work in Bournemouth.
In fact, this period has made us think hard about how our Dignity model needs to evolve. Patterns of arrival and dispersal are changing, needs differ from place to place, and the wider policy environment can shift quickly.
We are therefore developing a more agile and sustainable way of working, allowing us to take practical, dignity-first support to people where it is most needed.
We will share more about what comes next very soon.
For now, we want to say thank you to every member, volunteer, partner, supporter and member of staff who has made the Bournemouth Dignity Centre what it has been. We are incredibly proud of the community that has grown around it, and we will carry everything we have learned into the next chapter of our work.
If you have any questions or would like to get in touch, please contact us.
