Our History

St Richard of Chichester Christian Care Association (Stonepillow) is a registered charity (number 1000830) and also a Company Registered Limited by Guarantee (number 2504171). The aim of the charity is the relief of homelessness and social exclusion in the area covered by Chichester and Arun District Councils.

The charity was formed in 1989 following a sermon given by the Revd Hilary Parsons concerning the death of an ex-Graylingwell patient in a public toilet in Chichester. The reaction amongst the congregation was very powerful. A meeting followed where 20 different churches were represented. The aims for the Association were initially identified as:

• A hostel for young homeless
• A Day Centre
• A Night Shelter
• Low Cost Family Housing

Each project had a committee to work on the feasibility of the task. A hostel for young homeless was opened in Hay Road in 1991, but was closed in 1993 and the property sold. The Low Cost Family Housing project was abandoned.

Following a Marketing/Rebranding process the Association now operates under the name of Stonepillow.

Over the years our initial aims have been built upon and varied, and new operations have been taken on and managed by Stonepillow. You can read all about the operations we currently run in our Projects section.