Wolverhampton hostel for women and children given major revamp

Jericho House has been running its supported-living project for 30 years, which sees service users given some independence while being supported by on-site staff who teach a range of important life skills.

To celebrate the anniversary, the newly renamed Jericho Supported Living site has been given a major revamp across the course of 18 months.

The interior of the accommodation – which comprises of 11 bedsits – was given a makeover with the help of staff and volunteers from the charity in the form of a new kitchen, new furniture and modernised bathrooms.

Meanwhile, the exterior of the site was refurbished by Wolverhampton Council, which helped to install a new roof, chimneys, windows and doors.

Vicki Cureton, manager of Jericho House said the grand reopening on Friday was a success.

The 47-year-old said: "Everything was so positive it was fabulous. We had lots of comments from people saying they would want to live there, so that's a big plus.

"We have had all new bathrooms, a new shower room, we've had new flooring all the way through, all new furniture – literally everything is new.

"It's about putting a safe roof over their heads with support and giving them the next step of independence before moving back into the community.

"For a lady that has had domestic violence, self-esteem and confidence is a big thing, so just doing it in smaller steps before feeling like they've been dumped back into the community is a big thing.

"It's from [age] 16 upwards, so some of the young ones don't know how to cook, so it's about life skills and building upon how to run a home.

"Waiting for council houses can take such a long time, so temporary accommodation is vital in the city."

In addition to its supported-living project, the charity provides emergency accommodation for its service users, which sees 24-hour support given from staff on-site.