Formerly known as the Astell Foundation, RESTART was founded in 2009 by Andrew Marshall, our President. Following a year volunteering with another homeless charity, he was struck by the scale of homelessness in London and was inspired to respond to this societal issue by setting up a charity of his own.  From 2011, the charity ran a friendly, volunteer-led drop-in at St. Augustine’s Church in South Kensington.

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In 2018, RESTART forged a new link with St. Columba’s Church in Knightsbridge, where it continues to welcome homeless or vulnerable guests, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, nationality or faith.

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While the drop in is the beating heart of what RESTART does, it's focus is on enabling guests to take steps towards employment and thereby towards supporting themselves out of homelessness.