In 2025, we continued to provide safe homes and practical support to people across Bath and North East Somerset. At St John’s Foundation, our purpose is simple: to change lives, for good, by helping people live well and feel supported at every stage of life.
Our almshouses provide safe, comfortable homes for people over 65, alongside the support they need to remain independent and confident. Through our activities programme and outreach partnerships, we help older adults stay active and connected, while ensuring practical guidance and support reaches those who need it. Our Crisis Programme supports individuals and families facing financial difficulties, offering direct assistance to those experiencing challenges in their lives.
Behind every number is a person, and behind every statistic is a story. In 2025, those stories speak of safety and belonging, of people who are more connected and better supported because of our work.
Our almshouse impact
Last year, 105 residents called our almshouses home — each one supported to live safely and independently. For them, home is more than just a roof overhead; it’s security and peace of mind. We subsidise living costs by around £18,000 per resident each year, ensuring older people can enjoy high-quality homes within a warm and welcoming community. This support covers essential maintenance and repairs, as well as the dedicated teams who are there for residents every day.
The impact of this commitment is clear. 96% of our residents say they feel safe. Every single resident reported that repairs are carried out to a high standard, and 98% say issues are resolved promptly. However, for us, the true measure of success lies in how it feels to live here.
“The feeling of contentment and pure safety is unbelievable – it’s hard to explain. Everyone feels it here. It’s so peaceful and perfect.”
All of our residents say they are treated with dignity and compassion, and 98% feel they receive the advice and support they need. Daily interactions with staff are overwhelmingly positive, and are described not just as professional, but personal.
“They treat you like family with real care and compassion. Every member of staff has something special about them.”
As well as providing safe, comfortable homes, we focus on building a strong and supportive community. Most residents regularly attend activities, 96% describe a strong sense of neighbourliness, and everyone feels well informed and included. That sense of belonging can help to improve social and physical wellbeing, sometimes transforming lives.
“You can feel the love in this building. When I moved in, it just got better and better. I couldn’t believe how different life could feel.”
Our activities impact
As we already know, keeping an active mind and body is essential to wellbeing at every age. In 2025, our activities programme continued to grow, creating welcoming spaces where people can socialise and learn.
Over the course of the year, we delivered more than 1,000 activities, welcoming 363 individuals, which equates to a total of 7,125 attendances. For many, these sessions are far more than a class or a weekly meet-up; they provide a chance to get out into the community whilst making friends and supporting mental health.
In January 2026, we surveyed activity attendees to better understand how our classes support confidence and reduce isolation, as well as respondents’ experiences of interacting with our staff and tutors.
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. 86% said they enjoy the activities and 89% value both the tutors and the social connections formed within classes. Many reported improvements in confidence and skills, alongside the benefit of having a regular routine and something to look forward to each week. 63% of respondents shared that the sessions help them feel less isolated, underlining the important role these activities play in fostering connection and belonging.
“The classes provide learning experiences, fun company, a routine. They are hugely important to me and I love attending them. Excellent value too. It’s very inclusive, friendly and I’m so lucky to have this on my doorstep (well not literally!)”
While not everyone reported an increase in mood or confidence – often because they already felt positive before attending – the feedback highlights the broad appeal of the classes. Our activities play a vital role in supporting those experiencing loneliness or isolation, while also offering enjoyable experiences for people who are searching for a way to express creativity, learn new skills or find social connection.
“I look forward to it so much. It’s the socialising part – meeting people, talking, and feeling part of something.”
Our community continues to expand, with 138 new attendees joining in 2025 alone. What draws people in is not just the activity itself, but the atmosphere of warmth and belonging.
Participants describe the classes as inclusive and supportive, praising the welcoming environment and encouraging tutors. Many say it is the highlight of their week.
“This is my personal, special place. I can come here, forget my worries, and just be myself for a while.”
Our Crisis programme impact
There are times in life when immediate practical help is needed. For many individuals and families, a single unexpected cost, like a broken fridge or the need for counselling, can tip life into crisis. Our Crisis Programme exists for those moments.
In 2025, we supported 546 people and awarded £215,000 in grants. This funding provided essential household items such as furniture, counselling, and debt support for individuals and families in BaNES. Practical interventions stabilise lives and help prevent situations from worsening. For those receiving help, the impact is profound.
“This support helped me manage when everything felt out of control.”
Our approach is rooted in compassion and respect. When we asked beneficiaries of their experience with St John’s, we received a satisfaction rating of 92%, with 91% of people saying we fulfil our charitable purpose. This feedback tells us that people feel heard and understood and receive the support they need at a time when they often feel most vulnerable.
“They listened, understood, and helped me when I didn’t know where else to turn.”
Sometimes, people simply need a little help to get back on their feet. Being there at that critical moment can change the course of someone’s year, giving them the opportunity to live without fear and anxiety and instead move forwards with their lives.
Our Best Start in Life impact
Giving children the best possible start in life has been a key part of our work since 2020. Through our Best Start in Life programme, we have supported children’s wellbeing and learning by helping build the foundations they need to thrive. As the programme comes to an end this year, we are proud of the impact it has had for children and schools across Bath and North East Somerset.
Our work focused on reducing the educational attainment gap – the difference in educational outcomes between children eligible for free school meals and those who have never received them – at Key Stage 2. By focusing on early intervention and targeted support, we worked to address challenges as early as possible.
“The reading funding has enabled life-changing individual interventions, supporting children who might otherwise leave primary school unable to read.”
Through the Language for Life programme, early years practitioners were trained to use the WellComm assessment toolkit to identify speech, language and communication needs earlier. In 2024–25, 1,161 children were assessed and supported, helping many develop the communication skills they need before starting school.
Our Primary Empowerment Programme delivered targeted academic and emotional support for pupils, alongside training and specialist guidance for teachers to strengthen classroom practice. In 2025, £339,300 of funding supported seven primary schools, reaching 1,561 children across Bath and North East Somerset.
“We’ve got one lad now [who is] going to a specialist provision, but he leaves us reading, which he wasn’t doing back in Year 3/4. And that’s because of the extra hours and the Teaching Assistant who has read with him every day, using the fresh start materials. He leaves Year 6 now as a reader, which I don’t think he probably would have done without the extra funding.”
Our work also recognises the vital role nutrition plays in children’s wellbeing and learning. Through partnerships with local schools, 44,356 free, hot school lunches were provided to 372 children in 2025, helping ensure more young people had the nourishment they need to focus and learn.
Together, these programmes have helped children build confidence and strengthen key skills in preparation for the next stage of their education.
Looking back and ahead
When we reflect on 2025, the impact can be summarised in the words of those we support:
“For the first time in years, I feel safe.”
“This place gives me something to look forward to.”
“They were there when I needed help most.”
“The reading funding has enabled life-changing individual interventions.”
Safe homes. Thriving communities. Real support. At St John’s we’re helping change lives, for good.
To find out more about our work, visit our what we do page.
