30 Years, 30 Voices

Our legacy

30 Years, 30 Voices is a celebration of our work since Alabaré was founded in 1991. As part of our celebratory year, we have drawn together 30 voices that are a celebration of lives that we have touched and an illustration of the work that we have done. Each story is shared by someone who has experienced a personal journey with Alabaré.

Over our anniversary year, this will build into a series of stories that evoke the essence of the remarkable individuals with who we have had the privilege to share time over the years.

30 voices

Each of our 30 Years, 30 Voices stories reflect at least one of our values and offers unique insight into the individuals’ relationship with Alabaré and represents one of the many people who work with us, as service users, colleagues, Ambassadors or Patrons, volunteers, supporters, or campaigners, Chaplains or partners.

Over the year, every month we will feature a couple of new voices each telling us about their personal experience with Alabaré. For each of these we will identify one of our organisational values that each lie at the heart of the work we do.

Sheila's story

This month our "voice" features Sheila Warrander, a volunteer and supporter of Alabaré since 1998. Sheila was Mayor of Salisbury from 2006-2007 and she chose to raise funds for a new drop-in centre, still running today at Alabaré Place Salisbury. One of the fundraising activities for this was the very first sleep out in the cloisters of Salisbury Cathedral. These events have been run ever since and are very much the flagship fundraising events for Alabaré's work today.

As well as working as a volunteer on house sleepovers for many years, Sheila was also a key figure when we marked Alabaré’s 15th anniversary with a dinner at the House of Commons, as guests of Robert Key MP. Today Sheila still supports us which included belatedly marking her 80th birthday in 2020 by taking part in the Big Sleep at Home, sleeping in her cellar because of the pandemic.

Supporting Alabaré's future

As the year unfolds and as more stories unfold we hope they encourage you to be a part of our future journey over the next 30 years. Moving into the next 30 years, we are looking to expand our reach and housing availability. Unfortunately, the issue of homelessness is not going away any time soon and for this reason alone we are seeking new ways to provide support and encouragement to those seeking to rebuild their lives.

If you would like to get involved by supporting us as a volunteer, as a Patron or Ambassador, as a work colleague or person of faith we encourage you to reach out in whatever small or large way you can. Most of all we hope each of these voices inspires you in your daily life as stories of generosity, compassion, care and respect.

Find out more...

30 Years, 30 Voices

Marking 30 years of Alabaré

Our legacy

30 voices

Sheila's story

Supporting Alabaré's future

Our legacy

30 voices

Sheila's story

Supporting Alabaré's future