Kate Stewart - Vitality Homes
Kate Stewart - Vitality Homes
Vitality Homes, the supported living accommodation provided by award-winning businesswoman Kate Stewart, has in its first six months already started to change lives forever.
That’s always been the main goal for Vitality Homes; giving its residents who may be former addicts, prisoners or anyone who has suffered hardship and found themselves on the wrong path, a chance to turn their lives around long-term and become better members of society.
Service users arrive at the supported living accommodation following a period of abstinence and embark on a journey of further rehabilitation where they receive 24-hour support, are encouraged to take part in workshops and training to broaden their skillset, and take active roles within the community. There is also a zero tolerance policy for residents and they’re substance tested every day.
Now open and established within the local area, Vitality Homes, located in the former Cuffs site on Wavertree Road, is becoming a beacon for Wavertree and a place where local people can support those who are vulnerable and in recent months, donations of food, clothing and opportunities within local companies have flooded in.
However, it hasn’t always been so easy for owner Kate Stewart to persuade others to get involved and support her project.
Initially, Vitality Homes was met with fierce opposition from local people and businesses within the area. The matter was debated for weeks and during the toughest time, the site’s windows were smashed and she was continuously questioned and told not to open the centre. But with sheer persistence, and backing from Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson and some local councillors, Kate was determined that she would give these vulnerable people a second, third or fourth chance if necessary, to eventually help them transform their lives for the better, and hopefully forever.
Kate’s passion stems from having personally experienced the devastating effects of substance abuse and alcoholism within her family, and she believes that whilst there were numerous places for rehabilitation and helping people to begin their sobriety, once they had completed the first programme, there wasn’t always enough support to ensure they stayed committed to abstinence.
Now that she’s managed to convince the local area that Vitality Homes is something the city desperately needs to help people potentially change their lives forever, Kate is embarking on rolling out the programme in other areas. The Cuff's site is just the beginning for Vitality Homes, but the end goal is to give thousands of vulnerable people a place they can feel safe, supported and sober.
