What we do, works.

Although Restore is a Housing Charity situated in York – Restore is about so much more than providing people with a place to sleep at night. We want to see people transformed through our work. We care about the whole person and we want to serve the whole person, so that one day people can move on from our properties to live independent, restored lives.

Our Story

Our story began in 2010, when two people came together to start a ministry to support those who have been homeless and ex-offenders in York.

Meet the Team

Each person performs a vital role and brings their own experience and expertise to our work. Get to know a bit more about us by clicking on our profiles.

Blog

Our blog articles have been created to be informative, challenging and inspiring.

"Free those who are imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help…. Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a re-builder of walls and a restorer of homes". Isaiah 58:6-12

Our Story

Restore was formed in 2010 when two people from York independently contacted Green Pastures Housing in Southport to make enquiries about starting a ministry for homeless people and ex-offenders. Green Pastures put those two people in touch with one another, and they soon found that they weren’t alone. More and more Christians came forward who wanted to be part of the church’s response to homelessness in York. By the end of 2010 Restore (York) Limited had been born.

In July 2011 we opened our first property in partnership with Green Pastures Housing. Ever since then we have expanded our service whenever faith and finances have allowed. We are now able to provide accommodation and support dozens of individuals at a time across multiple properties. Some of the properties we manage are provided through our original partnership with Green Pastures, but others are leased through local landlords and trusts who want to support the expansion of our work. We employ a growing number of staff to provide the essential support needed by our residents.

We maintain good relationships with City of York Council, participating in their strategic aims and resettlement work. We also work alongside other statutory and charitable agencies within the city to ensure that our work complements the fantastic work being done other people in York.

Meet the Team

  • Paddy Wordsworth

    SERVICE MANAGER

    Paddy manages the day to day running of the charity and oversees all of our residents and Restore properties.

  • Hannah Jeal 

    SENIOR HOUSING SUPPORT WORKER

    Hannah oversees the Housing Support team. She grew up in Middlesbrough and values the opportunity to share the hope of Jesus through her role. She loves seeing the work of Restore in helping people to build a sense of community. 

  • Becki Dean 

    ADMINISTRATOR

    Becki has been the administrator at Restore since 2014. She sees her role as an immense privilege. She’s an expert at keeping us all organised! 

  • Louis Meek

    HOUSING SUPPORT WORKER

    Louis was born and raised in York. He appreciates seeing residents grow in confidence as they move beyond difficult circumstances to independence, security and joy. 

  • Hazel Richards

    MARKETING AND EVENTS OFFICER

    Hazel grew up in Leeds but moved to York to study at University and never left! She enjoys working for an organisation that shows people God’s love in action.  

  • Christian Nowraty

    MAINTENANCE MANAGER

    Christian oversees the upkeep of Restore’s properties and the turnaround of rooms ready for new residents. He brings his skills and experiences into the ministry of Restore to help make people’s next step into restoring their lives that little bit easier. 

  • Hilary Jenner

    HOUSING SUPPORT WORKER

    Hilary is York born and bred and her role focuses on supporting people as they move from Restore houses into other accommodation. She is passionate about enabling our residents to move forward and flourish. 

  • Lydia Baldwin 

    FUNDRAISING OFFICER

    Lydia moved to York in 2017 to do a Literature degree and fell in love with this beautiful city. She raises funds and awareness of Restore, to ensure our residents are able to receive the support they need. 

  • Ben Ffrench

    HOUSING SUPPORT WORKER

    Ben moved to York for university and then came to work for Restore. He has a heart for justice and feels called to fight for the vulnerable. 

  • Chris Parry

    HOUSING SUPPORT WORKER

    Chris grew up in Sunderland, and enjoys swimming outside in the sea, ponds, or lakes. He loves the work we do at Restore and the opportunity to share his love for God with others. 

  • Lenny Thompson

    VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY HUB CO-ORDINATOR

    Eleanor (or Lenny, as we call her!) organises and manages Restore’s Community Hubs. She loves getting to help people do the things they love and grow in confidence in themselves and with others. 

  • Han Theobald

    HOUSING SUPPORT WORKER

    Han moved to York from Sheffield after getting married. She’s training to be a priest in the Church of England and feels called to love and share the hope of Jesus to the vulnerable in our society.  

  • Ruth Dunlop

    FUNDRAISING AND SUPPORTER ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

    Ruth trained in coaching and developing people and organisations. She manages the fundraising team, channelling available resources into the transformational work of Restore. 

  • Harry Radcliffe

    MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT

    Harry is a plasterer by trade. He enjoys sports and plays rugby in his spare time. He assists with the upkeep of the Restore properties.

  • Sandra Waddington

    CLEANER

    Sandra has worked as a cleaner in a variety of homeless accommodation for over 20 years. She cleans the Restore houses and our office. 

Meet our Trustees

  • Penny Hutchinson

    “I grew up in council housing so I appreciate the stability that settled housing can give. I spent several years as an Advice & Information Worker for City of York Council, meeting many people facing homelessness or housing problems. My current job brings me into daily contact with people facing life’s challenges.”

  • Ben Spedding

    Ben is the Treasurer for Restore.

    “I joined the board in mid 2017 because I was impressed with how effective the team was at taking on vulnerable and struggling people and helping them get to a place where they could live a much more independent, stable and fulfilled life.”

  • Barrie Stephenson

    Barrie is a founding member of Restore and current chair of the trustees.

    "Restore began in my case because I spent some time with a man who was homeless and felt I could do something to help people like him. When I look at what Restore has become since that early encounter I am amazed at what it achieves. I can only be thankful for the vision that started it all off and the faithfulness of God in keeping Restore going

  • Laura Chalmers

    “I believe passionately about investing in people in order for them to reach their full potential. I hope to bring my experience of working within the charity sector and supporting governing bodies. It is a pleasure to be a part of Restore’s vital work.”

  • Dan Wheeler

    “I am delighted to have joined the board of Trustees in 2024! I am passionate about serving the city of York, and love the work that Restore does to support vulnerable people in our community. I live in Acomb with my wife, three children and two dogs, and work as Head of Finance for an Education Technology company based in Leeds.”

  • Charles Walters

    “I became aware of the good work of Restore and was privileged to see first hand the amazing work it does to improve the lives of those in need of housing. The combination of my legal experience and pastoral work will I hope help to further the growth and development of Restore.”

  • Gav Aitchison

    Gav joined the Restore board in 2018 and served as chair in 2019.

    “It’s a really humbling and inspiring organisation and I am continually impressed by the love and professionalism of the staff. Away from Restore, I work for a social justice charity in Manchester, but I live in Acomb with my young family, a few minutes from the Restore office.'“

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