Yeldall Bridges

In the 1960's and 1970's, two Christian couples - Doug and Barbara Henry and Bill and Joanie Yoder - met some young people who were addicted to drugs and felt they had to do something to help them. Both opened their homes to many who the world would normally shun, but soon found the work out-grew these houses.

In 1968 Doug and Barbara opened a rehabilitation home in Andover, followed by another in 1971 - these are known as the Coke Hole Centres. In 1977 Bill and Joanie opened a rehabilitation house for men at Yeldall Manor in Berkshire. In 2001, these two charities came together to make a new one - "Yeldall Bridges".

The rehabilitation houses have grown and developed over the years and now house up to 46 men.These homes operate programmes of between six and eleven months for men whose addiction to drugs or alcohol has become very severe. These people, whose descent into addiction began with just a 'harmless' drink or spliff (of cannabis), got to the point where virtually nothing else mattered except the drink or drugs. Many lost jobs and families because of their addiction and, although they tried to stop, the withdrawal symptoms were so severe that their past efforts failed.