Southend’s Harp taking action to tackle antisocial behaviour

Harp is regularly praised for its impressive efforts to transform the lives of homeless people and drug users across the city.

It boasts countless success stories and bosses have vowed to do all they can to prevent further complaints from neighbours around antisocial behaviour.

The charity have spoken out after a resident was arrested on Tuesday night and armed police were spotted outside its hostel in Westcliff Park Drive.

A spokesman said: “Harp is aware of the issues at the property, and we have been in regular contact with neighbours to discuss concerns and take necessary action.

“We recently managed a move for one resident to another property and are imminently installing a smoking shelter in the garden.

“The seven residents living at this property have been residing in other Harp properties for some time, without issue, which is why our team assessed them as ready for the next stage in their journey to independent living.

“The service at Westcliff Park Drive is a ‘low-needs’ step-down service, meaning residents live independently, cooking their own meals and going out to work or volunteering. However, Harp staff still regularly visit them and provide on-call support 24/7.”

The charity is known for their work with people who have been street homeless previously, many of whom have experienced immense trauma.

Sleek - one of Harp's living spaces (Image: Harp)

The spokesman added: “We are all human, and occasionally the people we work with may struggle more than others, especially with change.

“A move such as this was always going to impact people differently, and sometimes they may make mistakes, or their mental health might fluctuate.

“We apologise to residents for any distress this is causing and want to emphasise that we are committed to working with them to overcome the issues and challenges, allowing our residents to live independently without harassment.”

Support for ‘John’ hailed as success story

Harp, Southend’s leading homeless charity, already provides accommodation for 264 people across the city and has only recently launched their 56-bed Bluebird development to mass acclaim.

The charity has provided a case study of “John”, a resident who they have supported in similar circumstances to those living in 174 Westcliff Drive Road.

A spokesman said: “The residents we support include John, name changed to protect identity, who, after a break-up, was made homeless.

“He has a range of health problems and was unable to continue working in his chosen trade.

“We have supported him in accessing health services, including signing up with a GP, and we have brokered life skills training.

“Thanks to the support from Harp, he now has safe and stable accommodation, is volunteering, and is building back his confidence, ready to find alternative employment.”

The spokesman added: “Our ultimate aim for all the people we support is for them to reintegrate into our community, have a home, and understand where and how they can access help in the future should they need it.”