Refurbishment project begins at Michael House in Boscombe

MC Plan and Site Services will start its project to “modernise” and improve” Michael House on January 15.

The facility, in Grosvenor Gardens, has been providing emergency and longer-term accommodation and services to homeless people in the area for 30 years but needs a renovation.

To make that happen, Poole-based MC Plan and Site Services recruited help from volunteer traders as well as Watts Holt, who provided comprehensive drawings for the plan.

With the project close to kicking off, volunteers met for a pre-works meeting to discuss the first stage of the renovation work.

Michael House (Image: Google Maps)

MC Plan and Site Services gave thanks to the traders and businesses involved, including Chris Cowley Decorating, Ryan Cowley from RCC Plumbing and Heating, Adam Ayling from Griffiths & May Carpetsn Flooring and Tim Collier from Lilliput Electrical/Generate Renewables.

Helen Cook, director of MC Plan and Site Services, said: “We are thrilled with the support already received to drive this community initiative to revitalise the Michael House facility, which is located in the Boscombe suburb of Bournemouth.

“We have a huge task ahead of us which is made up of several phases, but with the support of local volunteers who have come forward, we know we’ll deliver a great project.”

The project has been split into multiple stages of work, with the first stage consisting of soundproofing and redecorating.

Separate workstations are also set to be formed in the training kitchen to teach people how to fend for themselves in the first stage of rebuilding their lives.

Helen Cook, director of MC Plan and Site Services, is running the project (Image: MC Plan and Site Services)

Also included in this phase is the re-siting of a sink, lighting upgrade and suitable extraction, and new flooring will be laid in the breakfast room.

Helen added: “With the support of our dedicated volunteers and their respective expertise, we look forward to breathing new life into this essential support space at Michael House.”

Mark Horsford from Michael House said; “We have been supporting the homeless since 1992 and believe that each individual holds the key to rebuilding their own lives.

"To do that we need to offer a safe and pleasant environment for them to flourish, whilst providing the knowledge and skills required to enable our residents to support themselves going forwards.”