Wintercomfort was established by Henry Rothschild and a group of local volunteers in response to the increasing number of homeless people in Cambridge.
In 1990, the volunteers began distributing warm clothing, sleeping bags and food from what was known within the community as ‘the blue bus’. In 1991, Wintercomfort became a registered charity and in 1994, moved into Overstream House on Victoria Avenue which has remained our home ever since.
Today, the charity is the only day-time service in the city, providing year-round advice and support for homeless or vulnerably housed people. Over the past three decades Wintercomfort has continued to grow and adapt to meet the needs of the homeless community.
Sadly today, our services are in greater demand than ever, and we face continued challenges within the cost of living crisis. Nevertheless, we are proud of our place at the forefront of homelessness support in Cambridge and look forward with hope to the future.
Meet our team
Wintercomfort is governed by a Board of Trustees, who give their time and expertise for free.
Sarah Halls
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah Halls
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah joined Wintercomfort as CEO in October 2011. Before joining Wintercomfort Sarah worked as a Senior Manager at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for over 22 years. Sarah is responsible for the organisation’s strategic direction and to ensure its financial stability, governance and legal compliance. She is an Associate of the CIPD and MIoF (cert).
“It is a privilege to lead an organisation which is so instrumental in helping people to achieve their full potential and that does so much to break down the stereotypes surrounding homelessness.”
Chris Goldsmith
Finance and Business Manager
Chris Goldsmith
Finance and Business Manager
Chris joined Wintercomfort in March of 2020 after a long career in the private sector. He has lived in the local area for over 20 years and is really enjoying the change of sector and being part of a Team that does such vital work for the homeless in Cambridge.
Agnieszka Gada
Services Manager
Agnieszka Gada
Services Manager
Agnieszka has been a member of the Wintercomfort team since 2015 when she began working as a weekend volunteer. With a degree in Sociology she has a wealth of experience in supporting people with substance misuse, criminal justice, housing and homelessness.
“I love working for an organisation that helps people to move on with their lives and brings positive change to those with the least in our community.”
James Holden
Fundraising Manager
James Holden
Fundraising Manager
James joins Wintercomfort with nearly ten years’ experience in the sector, working at both national and regional charities.
”I am excited to work with the local community and build lasting partnerships to help support the vital work that Wintercomfort does.”
Our Trustees
Jane Dominey
Chair
Jane Dominey
Chair
Jane has been a trustee since 2017 and became the charity’s Chair in 2023. She is a teacher and researcher in criminology and criminal justice having worked previously as a probation officer and – at the very start of her career – as a worker in a project for people sleeping rough.
Andy Archer
Andy Archer
Andy is a long-time Cambridge resident and was exceptionally proud to join Wintercomfort in March 2024, as Trustee and member of the Finance committee. With an early career in recruitment, Andy has worked for the last 14 years in commercial roles for disability charities, currently acting as Director of Income Generation and Communications for Hamelin Trust.
Emma Barker
Secretary
Emma Barker
Secretary
Emma joined Wintercomfort as a Trustee in March 2024. Emma has worked as a professional fundraiser in East Anglian charities for 24 years and now works for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance as their Head of Income Generation.
“It is a privilege to be able to support Wintercomfort in its vital work to bring about positive change for those in Cambridge without homes”.
Matthew Mckeague
Matthew Mckeague
Matthew is the CEO of the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), a charity that invests in heritage regeneration projects across the UK. He has worked in heritage and regeneration roles throughout his career. He recognises the vital role local voluntary organisations like Wintercomfort play in addressing homelessness, and brings experience of running charities and fundraising to the Board of Trustees.
Susie Cooksley
Susie Cooksley
Susie joined the Board of Trustees in April 2025, bringing with her over 20 years of expertise in Human Resources. Throughout her career, she has served as a strategic business partner across a wide range of sectors, including retail, logistics, manufacturing, and facilities management. Susie has supported both UK-based companies and global organisations, offering valuable insight into all aspects of the employee lifecycle.
Kit Rigden
Kit Rigden
Kit joined Wintercomfort as a trustee in January 2025, bringing professional experience from the homelessness sector. He has previously worked as a housing advisor and ‘through the gate’ support worker across London’s prison estate, as well as managing the Rough Sleeper’s Outreach Team in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Kit is now the Head of Business Development at Providence Row, a homelessness charity and day centre in London.
Ian Barker
Ian Barker
Ian joined Wintercomfort as Treasurer in 2023. He brings over 15 years of experience within the charity sector, working both in senior finance roles and in external audit.
Ian is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and works as Director of Finance for CBM UK, and international development charity.
Annual reports
Grant and Trust support
We are supported by a wide range of grant and trust funders. A full list of our funders can be seen in our Annual Report and Accounts.
2021 Evaluation Report
Annual Reports
