About Us
ABout UsNew Paragraph
In December 2000 after considerable discussion and a lot of praying two Christians from very different perspectives, one a prison Chaplain, the other a serving prisoner, made a decision to try to help men leaving prison who had reached the end of their sentence but had no home to go to.
With very little in the way of initial resources other than faith and determination, they were able to combine their skills and life experiences to begin the work that has grown into The House of Genesis - a place to make a new start.
(Pictured: Val Dodsworth & Richard Mylott in 2002)
Genesis offers a comfortable and friendly place to call home for up to 2 years, giving men the opportunity to become re-established in the life of the community. We offer help with everyday things, like getting registered with Doctor and Dentist, help with form filling and applying for benefits; linking up with local agencies for addiction counselling, advice about re connecting with family, and especially with children, dealing with debts and managing finances, and the many other things that crop up from day to day.
(Pictured: Lord & Lady Dannatt visit)
Genesis was founded by Christians with the purpose of providing, not only a home for those without one, but also to express in our daily living the genuine care and concern that we believe God has for every individual.
A verse from the Bible that has been an inspiration to us from the beginning is “Remember to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).
We believe that each man who comes to us is a unique, individual, made in the image of God, and has the potential to live a successful and fulfilling life. It’s then our job to help him to find the best within himself and to encourage him to take that way forward in his life.
There is no expectation that any resident either is, or might become a Christian, we accept men of any, or no faith. We have a part time volunteer Chaplain, but neither he or any member of staff will enter into discussions about faith with our residents unless they have requested it.
Our staff are not required to be believers, although some are, and all are aware of the Christian stance of the charity before they join with us.
The trustees, on the other hand, are all Christians and it's part of their role to see that the Christian ethos of the project is maintained and that governance is of the highest standard.