My name is Louisa Snow, and I am the CEO of Spitalfields Crypt Trust, a charity that has supported people in recovery from addiction and homelessness for over 60 years.

What our charity, and the people who have been part of it, have achieved in its lifetime is astounding. Recovering from an addiction is one of the most difficult things any person can do. We see the harsh realities of addiction, and far too often the ending everyone deserves is not granted. But what we know to be true is that, with the right support, people can turn their lives around. We have the privilege of witnessing this time and time again. A life restored. Not just for the person and their future opportunities, but also for their families, friends and wider society.

Sixty-one years ago, a group of people decided to help the most vulnerable amongst them by opening up a crypt and turning it into a soup kitchen and night shelter.

Community has been the engine behind this charity.

And now we are asking the wider community to help us keep the doors open once more.

Charity shops everywhere are having a hard time. Costs are up, fewer people are coming through the door, and with the rapid growth of online resale platforms, people are no longer donating quality items to charity.

This week, our Retail Director told the team at our Walthamstow shop that it is closing. Permanently. This was one of the hardest decisions we’ve had to make. The impact of closing this shop will be felt by many people, including our valued customers, our wonderful staff and volunteers.

We’ve gone through our costs line by line and made difficult decisions to protect not only the people we support, but also the many jobs we provide.

But the reality is that costs are rising exponentially, while the fundraising environment is increasingly challenging. If we want to make sure no other doors close, and keep our services protected, we need your help. That’s why we are launching an urgent appeal campaign, Keep the Doors Open. We need to raise £200,000 by the end of March 2027.

If you’d like to help, please consider setting up a monthly donation to keep someone’s door to recovery open.

To find out more about our campaign, you can visit our website, sct.org.uk/keepthedoorsopen. Alternatively, if you’d like to speak to someone directly about supporting SCT, please email our team at fundraising@sct.org.uk.

We believe that, with your support, we will reach our goal and secure the charity’s future.