At a Glance
- Prominent High Street building donated to HARP for £1
- Building renamed Ann Terry House in memory of Mark Talbot’s family
- New hub focused on homelessness prevention and recovery
- Prevention Hub set to open this spring
- Existing HARP services remain unchanged
Homeless charity HARP is celebrating the official handover of a prominent High Street building, generously donated for £1 by local resident Mark Talbot, to support the charity’s work tackling homelessness and housing insecurity across the community.
The landmark building, now named Ann Terry House, has been gifted outright to HARP and will, over the coming months, be opened as a central hub for homelessness prevention, recovery and community support.
Before retiring, Mark worked as a roofer and saw first-hand how safe, secure housing can transform lives. The building, Ann Terry House, is named in memory of members of Mark’s family who experienced homelessness and mental health challenges several years ago, a deeply personal connection that inspired the donation.
Mark Talbot said:
“I know how important a safe place to call home is. My family went through incredibly difficult times, and that never leaves you. I wanted to do something meaningful for the community, and gifting this building to HARP felt like the right thing to do. It’s about giving people the support and second chances everyone deserves.”
Speaking at the handover, HARP CEO Vanessa Hemmings said:
“Being gifted this building for £1 means the world to HARP and to the people we support. Thanks to Mark and the generosity of other supporters, we have been able to invest in this space and create an incredible environment where homelessness prevention and recovery can begin. This isn’t just a building – it’s a place where lives will change.”
The donation comes at a critical time, with HARP supporting increasing numbers of local people at risk of losing their homes.
“Our new Prevention Hub, opening this spring, will allow us to reach people earlier and help prevent homelessness before it happens,” Vanessa added.
Ann Terry House will also provide space for HARP’s THRIVE recovery programme, alongside facilities for other local organisations. The building includes a dedicated medical room, which will host an outreach clinic for Southend’s Homeless Health Initiative, helping to reach people who may otherwise struggle to access healthcare. HARP also has ambitious plans for the ground floor of the building. Further details will be announced in due course, subject to additional fundraising.
This building will not replace HARP’s Bradbury Centre in York Road or any of HARP’s other services. It is aimed at homelessness prevention so people who are at risk of being evicted or cannot find a property and need assistance.