The Matthew Tree Project

The 'Rebuilding Lives' programme, created and developed by The Matthew Tree Project (TMTP) since 2010, is  designed to address the underlying causes of multiple and complex issues people in crisis have, whilst at the same time removing hunger and improving health and wellbeing through the provision of weekly nutrient rich food supplies for the whole household. 

Multi-Agency Working

Conditions are created that facilitate effective multi-agency working enabling people to access the support they need, when they need it. Delivered through Community Hubs, the 'Rebuilding Lives' strategic partnership provides full wrap-around joined-up services, including: practical and emotional support; counselling (addressing poor mental health); weekly nutrient rich food provision; advice; life skills training (budgeting; cooking; food growing); ways to reduce outgoings (energy, phone); skills to gain employment (skills audit, skills training, job search); advocacy; health & wellbeing; community engagement; confidence building volunteering opportunities.    

The multi-agency partnership operates in several ways: sharing resources (buildings; land; assets; impact data), knowledge, expertise; overseeing project development; sharing good practice learned.

Personally Tailored Support-Bubble

The frontline crisis support and client navigation teams, employed by TMTP, build a relationship with each household that is non-judgemental and based on trust and openness, enabling the introduction of additional [joined-up] services and support, provided by TMTP and/or strategic partners, as required and in a way each client can engage with. 

This results in a full wrap around and personally tailored support ‘bubble’ to make beneficiaries feel safe, secure, cared for, and which empowers people to rebuild a healthier, wealthier, happier future.

The 'Rebuilding Lives' programme is supporting over 500 people from over 240 vulnerable households - the caseload. The current service offering has been driven by the post Covid ‘needs’ identified by hundreds of vulnerable households consulted since March 2021. Consultation is ongoing and the findings are used to further shape and develop the project so that it is most effective. 

Shaped and Developed by the People it Serves

Co-production: involvement, and ownership of the project by the people the project serves is the heart-beat of ‘Rebuilding Lives’. The project is shaped by the people it serves. 

Offering volunteering opportunities within the project is a key component of 'Rebuilding Lives' building self-confidence, self-esteem, self-worth, and the learning of new skills set. For people furthest from the job market, it helps re-learn responsibility, work ethic, time keeping, reliability. It achieves ‘buy-in’ especially when accompanied by a voice to shape the development of the project. Currently volunteering accounts for 750 hours per month, of which 40% is provided by beneficiaries.   

Cost Effective Social Change Model

It costs the 'Rebuilding Lives' programme £2.26 to feed and support one person for one day. This is the cost to improve health and wellbeing and help someone from crisis point to a place where they can support themselves and no longer need our help. This winter the programme will be feeding and supporting over 600 vulnerable people, meaning our daily operating costs are £1,356 or £41,245 per month.

Please support our work by donating whatever you can afford. This year our target is to raise £50,000. Thank you.