Brighton charity wins award after £800k revamp

First Base day centre has won a Sussex Heritage Award for the £800,000 revamp of its premises in Montpelier Place, Brighton.

The day centre is based in St Stephen’s Hall, a grade II listed 18th century church.

Architects CDMS Partners and Cheesmur Building Contractors led the renovation which involved restoring the original interiors.

At the same they fitted up-to-date facilities to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable men and women in the city.

Nikki Homewood, director of homelessness services at Brighton Housing Trust (BHT), said that the refurbishment had made an incredible difference to the space was used.

She said: “The redevelopment included a training kitchen facility, new showers and toilets, medical rooms and consultation rooms, all of which have made a huge difference to how we are able to work with vulnerable people to help them to move on from homelessness and towards a more positive future.”