For the past 21 years Oasis has been a lifeline to thousands of isolated, vulnerable, and disadvantaged people living and sleeping rough in Manchester. We have honed our support to help families living on benefits, the long-term unemployed, asylum seekers and refugees, homeless people, ex-offenders, people struggling with alcohol and drug dependency, people struggling with mental, emotional, learning, and cognitive difficulties.
In our new purpose-built centre, we now see an average of 6 new people a day using our services for support and 1 person a week is finding employment! It feels like the past 21 years of experience and development has led us to be in a perfect position to help the most in need in the aftermath of the pandemic and through this epic ‘cost of living’ crisis.
We, at the Oasis Centre, would like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support.
You are helping us make a significant difference to our society here in Manchester and for that we are truly grateful to you and thankful to God.
Recently, the new chair of the Charity Commission, Orlando Fraser came to visit the Oasis Centre, because he had asked to make a trip outside of London to a charity that embodied community work. The Centre for Social Justice recommended that he came to visit us! He was blown away by the love and commitment of our staff and volunteers, and our Oasis community were thrilled with his visit too.
If there was ever a time that Oasis was needed it is right here and right now! The ‘cost of living’ crisis has hit our country hard and now is the time to help the most vulnerable find the stability they need to ride out this storm. From day one Oasis has been standing in the gap for the most vulnerable and overlooked in our society. Back in 2001 when we first opened our doors it was plain to see the damaging void between the have’s and have nots. That void is sadly growing but we hope our brief report below shows you how we, at the Oasis Centre, are working hard to diminish that void one precious person at a time. Thank you again for your incredible support!
2022 Report
"I came to Oasis feeling very lonely but now I am part of the family"
Headlines
17 staff
62 volunteers
6 new people a day used the Oasis Centre for support
1 person a week found employment
Over 2,000 individual vulnerable and disadvantaged people supported
Footfall of 17,173
1,755 new people came in for support
33,600 free meals served to people in need
Over 23,000 items sold in our low-cost charity shop
60% women, 40% men and 55% BAME community
501 separate visits from outside health and support agencies
32 different nations represented
4,605 crisis issues dealt with
150 people per week enjoyed our wellbeing programmes
393 people engaged in our education programme from 32 nations
19 people enrolled on our Next Step (volunteering) programme
232 people were supported through work club
54 people found employment!
Gorton continues to be a neighbourhood experiencing overwhelming and complex needs.
Here are the issues faced by 150 local residents (between the ages of 18-65) who attend the Oasis Centre in 2022:% 75% of clients have not worked in the past 5 years; 62% have never worked; 80% have been victim of a violent crime; 38% have a criminal conviction; 57%% have suffered homelessness; 66% have struggled with drug and alcohol use; 32% were identified as having special educational needs when at school; 75%% have literacy skills and 65% have numeracy skills below primary school age; 89% have none of the IT skills needed for learning or gaining employment; 92% struggle to financially feed themselves or their families.
"I was in a terrible mess…with the bills, not enough food, and my landlord. It was like banging my head against a brick wall. No one cared until I came here. You’ve helped turn it all around. I can’t thank you enough"
Thank you for your support!