Alabaré is a British charity dedicated to ending homelessness — primarily for “rough sleepers:” people who do not have a safe, conventional place to live and resort to sleeping outside in tents, sidewalks, doorways, and parks.
“At Alabaré, we support hundreds of people who are homeless every year,” the charity wrote in a mission statement. “We help each person with their finances, health, and self-esteem and provide a stepping-stone approach back to independent living.”
That includes people like Bryn, a veteran, who served for 14 years in the Royal Air Force Regiment and became homeless in stages. First, he couch-surfed, and then he spent his remaining savings on a hotel. When his money ran out, he resorted to sleeping under a bridge in the throes of winter.
“You don’t really sleep,” Bryn said in the Salisbury Journal. “You’re constantly watching whether anybody is going to try and steal your stuff.”
“You have people calling you names, although I wasn’t begging,” he added. “I didn’t have anything. I couldn’t even buy any water because I couldn’t go into a shop or supermarket with all my stuff.”
Fortunately, after receiving help through Alabaré’s Homes for Veterans program, Bryn’s life changed overnight.
“When I got to the house, lay on the bed, I finally felt I could breathe again,” he said. “That day changed my life. I’m focusing on the future and my family.”
In their 2024-2025 impact report, Alabaré supported a total of 3,272 people — a 12.3% increase from the year prior.
Their growth was, unfortunately, outsized by the community’s need. According to Alabaré there are over 3,500 homeless veterans across England and Wales.
“Last year, we received 350 referrals for our veteran services, an increase demand of 122% on our service,” they noted in their impact report.
Ultimately, Alabaré was able to provide housing services to 158 veterans in the past year.
As 2026 approaches, they hope to broaden their reach through their annual flagship event: The Big Sleep.
For 15 years, Alabaré has invited hundreds of participants “to give up their warm beds for one night” and sleep rough in the name of raising money for people experiencing homelessness.
Past venues have included the Cloisters of Salisbury Cathedral, The Tower of London, and Gwrych Castle.
And this year, they’re hosting it in Stonehenge.
“We are asking you to get sponsored to sleep out for one night and by doing so, raise funds so Alabaré can provide the support needed to help more homeless veterans across Wiltshire and the South West,” Alabaré wrote on the event page.
“To add to the poignancy, we will also be joined by the fabulous Cranborne Chase National Landscape team, who will talk us through the astronomical dark night sky after we walk down to the stones in the evening … there, we will look through telescopes where we (hopefully) can see the constellations for ourselves.”
The event — which will take place on Friday, November 14 — is now available for registration and is limited to 200 participants.
“Together, we can break the cycle,” the charity pledges. “Together, we can bring homes, hearts, and minds together to support vulnerable veterans.”
In their impact report, Alabaré describes their Homes for Veterans program as a “tailored pathway of support” for veterans in crisis.
In addition to providing “physical and mental health, financial wellbeing, and employment readiness,” the program sets up residents for long-term success.
“We collaborate closely with each veteran to help them secure stable, lasting accommodation, enabling successful transition to independent living, which therefore reduces the risk of future homelessness as they rebuild their lives with confidence and hope.”
Header image via Image via Andrew Dunn / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
