What is CIRDIC?
It is a drop-in-centre, established in 1990 because a group of local Christians wanted to respond to the needs of the homeless and clearly disadvantaged people in Reading. Originally the aim was to provide a welcoming place in which to offer food and clothing. Now, in response to growing needs, the Centre offers a wide range of support services to our guests.
These support services include:
- Meals
- Clean clothing and toiletries
- Bath and shower facilities
- Provision of a safe postal address
- Use of a telephone
- Provision of confimation of identity
- Listening time
- Regular access to and links with specialist services such as health care and housing
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Who do we help?
Any adult who comes in. CIRDIC is now recognised as the only Centre in Reading that offers a truly open door and free service. We ask only that our guests behave reasonably when they are with us. Some of these are:
- Homeless
- Rootless
- Substance abusers and sufferers of addiction
- Afflicted with mental health problems
- Living in poor housing
- Unemployed
- In serious financial difficulty
Many bear the burden of several of these problems. Some have been using our service for years, others simply pass through. But whatever the circumstances we strive to offer an environment in which each guest can experience him or herself as worthy of respect and genuine concern. Building relationships is slow and often invisible work, but our hope is that with appropriate support our guests may become ready and able to address some of their often overwhelming difficulties. We know that this can and does happen. Read one of our ex-guests who is now employed and living independently and who offered his testimony:
"I am grateful that our paths crossed as the Drop-In was my first step in the recovery I have been enabled to have ... in being led to the life I have today I have taken many steps that I could not have managed on my own, and the first one was accepting the food, warmth, shelter, and guidance that was offered to me at CIRDIC."
