Skywaves House
A new chapter in the fight against homelessness in Worthing
What is Skywaves?
Opened in September 2025, Skywaves House provides high-support accommodation for people with a local connection to Adur or Worthing who are experiencing homelessness and living with complex needs.
The purpose-built development has 21 self-contained apartments and is staffed 24/7. Every detail has been carefully designed to offer safety, stability and dignity, helping residents rebuild their lives in a space that feels like home.
The site itself carries a story of compassion: when FEBA Radio executives saw people rough sleeping from their office window, they felt the land had a higher purpose. Rather than sell to private developers, they chose to work with Turning Tides to transform it into a place of hope.
Skywaves also represents a pioneering partnership between Turning Tides, Adur & Worthing Borough Councils, Worthing Homes and Homes England, with Government funding from the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP). This innovative collaboration makes Skywaves the first of its kind locally.
What support is offered at Skywaves?
Residents are supported to take the next step towards independent living, with stays typically lasting six to nine months (and up to two years if needed). Alongside safe and stable accommodation, people can access:
- Holistic, person-centred support from Turning Tides staff, available around the clock.
- Specialist health, housing and counselling services delivered on-site through a unique multi-agency hub. No delays, no red tape. Just immediate, integrated support that works.
- Practical opportunities to learn and grow, with spaces for training, cooking, workshops and community connection.
Every flat is move-in ready with furniture, bedding and essentials. To make the first days less overwhelming, each apartment is also stocked with food and hygiene packs so new residents can prepare a hot meal and a drink while they settle in.
The aim is not only to meet immediate needs but to build confidence, skills and resilience for the future – with a target of at least 80% of residents moving on to independent living in a planned and positive way.
“This is a place of healing and hope. It will save lives.” — John Holmstrom, Chief Executive, Turning Tides
What makes Skywaves special?
With a 60-year lease secured, this project will offer generations of local people a genuine turning point in their journey out of homelessness. Setting Skywaves apart is its human-centred design:
- Every apartment is fully self-contained, with private kitchens and bathrooms, reducing the tensions that can arise in shared spaces.
- Four ground-floor homes come with private gardens, making it possible for residents with dogs to stay.
- The building is trauma-informed and neurodiversity-friendly, ensuring safety and comfort for those who’ve experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences.
- Communal areas are open to the wider Worthing community – a place where understanding and opportunity can grow.
It’s also the care and attention to detail that make Skywaves feel like more than a housing service:
- Beds were chosen with care – robust enough to last, yet designed to avoid an institutional feel. Thanks to a generous grant, we were able to ‘buy once, buy well’, ensuring every resident has a bed that offers comfort, safety and dignity.
- Furniture has been intentionally curated through community donations to create warmth and dignity, not a random mix of hand-me-downs.
- 95 volunteers gave 475 hours to set up the project, building furniture, making beds and stocking flats. Their efforts turned an empty shell into a welcoming home.
Why Skywaves is needed
- The average age of death for someone experiencing homelessness in England is just 45 for men and 43 for women – decades younger than the national average.
- Over 80% of people who are homeless report struggling with a mental health issue.
- More than half live with a long-term physical health problem.
- In late 2024, over 4,600 people were recorded sleeping rough on a single night, a 20% increase in just one year.