The Besom takes referrals from 30+ different organisations in York. (Click here for a list) This process helps us to work with people who are in genuine need.

Who can make a referral? We make no judgements about the people we work with. Our only criteria for referral is that the recipient is referred by a statutory or similar organisation - someone who is working with them long-term. The referrer must be willing to come with us to do an assessment.

How do I make a referral? A referral form can be downloaded by clicking here or by contacting us via the website or phone 01904 658220.

What happens after I send a referral? Once a referral is received we will contact you to let you know that we have received it and to ensure that we have all the details that we need. As soon as we have identified the appropriate resources we will contact you and the recipients in order to process it further. Depending on the type of referral we will arrange to visit the recipient with you to assess their needs. We then match that need with the time, skills or things that have been offered.

Everyone who gives time through the Besom has a character reference from their church leader and is not able to start with us until we are satisfied that they are the right person for the task that they are offering to do.

If you'd like to find out more about who we are, what we do, or arrange to meet with us please contact us: click here to contact us or Phone 01904 658220

What people say:

I am writing on behalf of the teams both here and at Howe Hill to thank you all for the hard work you do for our customers. I was originally writing to thank you for the Easter Eggs you donated to Ordnance Lane residents and this made me think of the huge amount of help you are providing throughout the year and that we should be letting you know just how much we appreciate it.

You are all reliable, conscientious, hard working and deserve medals for some of the tasks you take on. When it comes to moving people with no resources into their own homes what you do eases the pressure for staff and customers alike and such kindness makes a huge difference to people in difficult circumstances.

We also had enough Easter eggs to set up two hunts, one for the children and another for the young adults. The parents joined in with the children and much fun was had by all, so much so that we are being asked for lots more similar activities.

The children that couldn’t come to the hunt were given an egg each too so all enjoyed a share of the goodies. Our appreciation for all you do is heartfelt and it is an absolute pleasure to be able to call upon your services.

With many thanks,
Christine Ackerley, Ordnance Lane Supervisor

“York Besom have been thorough, flexible and extremely pleasant to work with. Their response to referrals has been crucially rapid and their attention to detail when assessing customers is fantastic. The work Besom in York have done has made a huge difference to every customer of mine they have come in contact with, improving their standard of living immeasurably, and often in times of deep crisis.”
Sam Robson, York Housing Association