Raven House Trust
276-278 Cromwell Road, Newport. NP19 7EU 01633 762999
www.ravenhouse.org
contact@ravenhouse.org
Helping Local People with Food and Furniture
Briefing Notes June 2012
Background
Raven House became a Registered Charity in 1993, and a Registered Company without share
capital in January 1994.
Aims and Objectives.
 To alleviate Poverty and Homelessness in our Communities by working with the Established
Agencies in this Field, in providing Food, Furniture and Household items.
 To give Volunteer/Placement and Training opportunities to a wide range of people who are
seeking to serve their communities in a positive way.
 To bring Faith Groups and Communities together, including local Business, to underpin our
service.
Today Raven House provides good quality donated Furniture, Bedding, China and other
Household items plus food parcels on a all year round basis.
Uniqueness
Raven House Trust is unique within 400 reuse organisations working with social and
environmental aims across the UK.
 Supported and funded by many of the Churches and faith groups, and other
organisations within the area of the old county of Gwent and beyond.
 Provides its service across the whole of the old county of Gwent as well as in parts of
Caerphilly and Cardiff.
 Has an Aid Referral system that supports those in the most difficult of circumstances with
Furniture and other household items free of charge
 Raven House since 1998 has also provided Food Parcels free to those in the most
difficult of circumstances all year round and now through its partnership have set up local
food banks at Stow Park Church and Bettws - Helping Hands
How to Donate Furniture and household goods
We collect good, clean furniture such as
 Three piece suites (must have the 1988 fire labels attached)
 Double and single wardrobes
 Tables and chairs
 Bookcases and drawers
 Other household items such as china /kitchen utensils
We Collect FREE of CHARGE from in and around Newport and depending on the
donation the rest of the former Gwent Area.
Donations of food items can be dropped off at any of the three food banks in Newport
(see below)
How to receive Furniture and household goods.
We use a Referral system involving many support agencies such as Women’s Aid, Solas,
Gwalia, Wales Probation Trust and Social Landlords.
Who we help
Most of our work is carried out within the following clusters that have multiple problems.
Cluster
Vulnerable groups
Family
Lone parents / young people / extended families / families / old people / people
living in the rented housing sector / home owners, including people with long
standing illness or disability or mental health problems / victims of violence /
people experiencing divorce and relationship breakdown / those suffering from
social Exclusion, unemployment, and drug and alcohol problems.
Housing/
People in receipt of welfare benefits / people on low incomes / people with long
Homelessness standing illness or disability / young people / people suffering mental health
issues, violence, divorce and relationship breakdowns or social exclusion,
unemployment, drug and alcohol problems.
Economic
People in receipt of welfare benefits / people living in high density housing /
people who reported long standing illness or disability / People on low incomes.
Purchase referral
For those families and individuals who are on income based benefits including working tax
credits can pick and purchase furniture with a referral form – that will mean that they are entitled
to a 30% reduction in the total cost of their purchases.
AID Referral
This is for those families and individuals who are on income based benefits who do not have the
resources to pay and who meet the following two criteria:
1. The referral agency is a funding partner with Raven House Trust or
2. Raven House Trust through its own resources is able to provide items. This is limited and
based on the level of collections and financial donations we receive from the public. Note
referrers are reminded that they must call Raven House to ascertain availability
before referring anyone if not a funding partner.
3. There is a small charge to cover some of Raven House Trust costs.
Our referral forms
 Are valid for up to fourteen days from date of the referral.
 BOTH referral forms are available on our website.
New single and double beds
 We can also provide NEW single and double beds at a low cost
FOOD BANKS
We co-ordinate and support 4 Food Banks within Newport from any of the following premises.
Stow Park Church Centre,
Brynhyfryd Road,
Newport.
NP20 4FX
01633 843730
Tuesday-Friday 2pm-4pm
Raven House,
276-278 Cromwell Road,
Newport.
NP19 0HT
01633 762999
Monday-Thursday 9am2.30pm
Caldicot Food Bank,
Caldicot Town Council
Office,
Sandy Lane,
Caldicot. NP26 4NA
07925 285994
Friday 10am - 12 noon
Bettws Food Bank
St David’s Church
Community House,
1, Tone Close,
Newport. NP20 7AT
01633 856623
Monday-Friday 1pm-2pm
How it works
 One emergency food parcel per family or Individual with or without referral.
 Thereafter for further help for up to 1 parcel per week for up to 3 weeks any
family or individual who must be referred by a support Agency on the
Emergency Food Parcel Form which is available on our website www.ravenhouse.org.
 This must be completed by the Agency on behalf of the Family or Individual and
signed by both parties.
 Then it is presented at one of the above Food Banks for the food.
 Forms valid for up to fourteen days from date of the referral.
This ensures that we comply with audit requirements with regard to any food given.
Where to find us
Raven House Trust
276-278 Cromwell Road
Newport
NP19 OHT
South Wales
Tel 01633-762999 (24 hour Answering service)
contact@ravenhouse.org
Shop Opening Times
Monday 9 – 3pm
Brynhyfryd Road,
Tuesday 9 – 3pm Newport.
Wednesday 9 – 3pm
NP20 4FX
01633 843730
Closed
Friday and
Saturday
Tuesday-Friday
2pm-4pm
Thursday 9 – 3pm
Raven House Trust - the Statistics
Outputs for the financial year October 2010 to September 2011
 Aid referrals - value of furniture / food given in this financial year is £69,700.
 The value Food Parcels / Toys / Sweets and Chocolates and small gifts given out is
£25,000
All of the above comes into the Trust through Donations.
Items collected during the past 6 months
 Oct 11 to March 12 - 918 items of furniture and household goods collected.
 Households helped - 582 with furniture and household items.
 December 11 - Christmas food - 714 parcels which equates to 1,200 individuals. Also
donated toys were given to families and agencies.
 People given Furniture on our Aid Referral system (those in most urgent need and did
not have the resources to pay) 133.
Percentage of
income
Where our funding comes from
Newport City Council help towards the provision of Aid referrals from 7%
Social services via a service agreement
Henry Smith Charity -This funding is for 2 years from April 2011
40%
DONATIONS from Churches
10%
Income from Services
38%
Retail Gift Aid
5%
Staff
At the present time, the staff consists of:
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


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Service Development Manager on 28hrs per week.
Service Organiser on 28hrs per week.
Service Supervisor on 25hrs per week.
Assistant on 25hrs per week.
One young person on Youth Training in Retail/Customer Service NVQ.
Volunteers
We have four volunteers at Raven House at this time who are involved in the following areas.
 Administration.
 Sorting and date checking food.
 General Shop work .
For further information regarding our services please contact
Margaret Smith, Service Development Manager,
Raven House Trust,
276-278 Cromwell Road,
Newport,
NP19 OHT
Tel: 01633 762999
Fax: 01633 762998
Email contact@ravenhouse.org web site www.ravenhouse.org
Raven House Trust is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales Number 2886655: Registered Charity Number
1031971. Registered Office: Raven House, 276-278, Cromwell Road, Newport. NP19 0HT
Directors: Mrs Jan Cucksey (Secretary); Revd Canon Henry Davies; Mrs Angela Jones; Mr Ron Prosser (Chair); Mrs Margaret Smith;
Mr Mike Tidley; Councillor Noel Trigg