Posted on: 3 August, 2026
“People say this place is a bit like a shed,” chuckles Henry.
He is one of the practitioners at Cranstoun’s substance use support service for Windsor and Maidenhead, which is moving from its long-standing home on Reform Road to a brand-new, purpose-designed space in Maidenhead town centre.
The move will help more people access life-changing support, while creating a welcoming environment that reflects the dedication of the team and the potential of everyone who walks through the door.
Goodbye, Reform Road
For decades, people have created brighter futures in a building trapped in the past.
Unit 13 Reform Road stands midway between the builders’ yard and the hardware store. Once you’ve found the entrance, which isn’t at the front of the building, you’re greeted by an airlock with a boarded-up window leading into a labyrinth of locked doors and corridors. The flaking paintwork resembles a pointillist mural, blanketed with blobs of Blu-Tack that haven’t held a poster in years.
This building has helped to change thousands of lives, but it fails to reflect the dignity its visitors deserve, and the powerful possibilities of the work within its walls.
Charlotte, Service Manager at Cranstoun RBWM, vividly remembers her first visit.
“When I came for my interview, I went to the front of the building first – as everyone does – and thought I had come to the wrong place. I would never have thought to go all the way through the car park and around a bushy alleyway that is normally overgrown.”
Five years later, Charlotte is overseeing the move, guiding the team through the change, and buzzing for what’s ahead. “The biggest thing for me is the change from a building that looks like… this! …to something to be proud of.”
Behind this sign sits Cranstoun's long-standing Reform Road home.
“We all have a connection to this building”
For some of the team, the move brings mixed emotions. Anaka recently joined Cranstoun RBWM as an apprentice, returning to work after 16 years as a full-time mum. She holds a strong affection for the current building because of the opportunities it has afforded her, and the kindness of the people who invited her inside.
“I love this building,” she beams, “because from the moment I started, I felt comfortable and welcome.” Anaka continues:
“As a mum who chose to come away from the workplace, it is very difficult to get back into work. When I saw the advert for the apprenticeship, people said, ‘Isn’t that for a young person?’ Maybe it was, but I liked the sound of Cranstoun and applied anyway. This is the only job where I’ve felt at ease so quickly. I love the people I’ve met in this building, and it’s made me fond of the building too.”
Charlotte is overseeing Cranstoun RBWM's move to a new home in Maidenhead town centre.
For some of the people accessing support at Cranstoun RBWM, the building has been a part of their lives for decades. It brings back memories of loved ones, or represents the place they began their journey to recovery.
“We all have a connection to this building,” Charlotte reflects, “because it has been here for such a long time. I spoke to someone accessing Cranstoun’s services who used to come here as a child with her parents.”
Henry reflected on a former client who saw beyond the tired décor and recognised what really mattered. “They had been to a fancy building for drug treatment elsewhere, and the support was rubbish,” he recalled, “but then they came to ‘the shack’ and the support was really good!”
A welcoming new space for Windsor & Maidenhead
Cranstoun’s new home will remove barriers that people face when accessing support.
For starters, finding the service will be much easier than before. The current building is tucked away in an industrial estate, which not only makes it hard to find, but can also feel intimidating or isolating. Charlotte explains, “The new building is on a nice road, so it will be much more inviting. It will have a big, grand door with a little Cranstoun sign.”
Entering the building will be different too. At the current site, visitors have to knock and wait to be admitted. For someone feeling anxious or vulnerable, that can be daunting. The new site is designed to make visitors feel welcome. Charlotte continues:
“Someone coming to a session today said his anxiety went so high when he came in because he felt really claustrophobic. At the new building, we hope being able to open the door without having to knock makes people feel special, because it is their service, and they should be able to walk in with someone there to greet them.”
The move will also place the service closer to transport links and partner organisations, bringing people into a wider network of employment, health and wellbeing support services.
Aman, Key Worker for Family and Safeguarding, sees the benefits of moving to the centre of town. “The new location will improve access to other agencies,” she explains. “Housing and other partnerships are nearby, and that is where we should be.” Henry agrees, “The job centre is next door and the town hall is nearby. It gives holistic care for the borough.”
Mia, who leads the WiSE Project in Maidenhead, hopes the new building will empower people to feel part of their community: “I hope people will feel less shunned into the corner of an industrial estate and more included in society.”
Rachel (pictured with her key worker Sarah) designed a mural to greet people when they come into the new building. “It’s the first thing people will see, and I hope they’ll feel comfortable and safe,” she says.
The people welcoming you in
Of course, no matter how bright the brickwork or grand the glazing, a building is only as good as the people inside. And that is where Cranstoun RBWM truly shines.
Charlotte speaks passionately about her team. “We’ve got a load of people who all care,” she enthuses. “Even if we all got here for different reasons, we all have the same goal. Everyone wants the best for the service and they put everything into it.”
Anaka feels the same:
“The people here are wonderful. One of the most important things in a job is the people you work with, and they are supportive and approachable. I feel like I have found where I am meant to be.”
Moving home represents a exciting new chapter for Cranstoun in Windsor and Maidenhead. The service will be easier to find, more welcoming to enter, and better connected to the community it supports.
But what makes it special will remain unchanged: the people, and their commitment to helping others build healthier, safer and happier futures.
The new building offers a fresh start. Your donation can help more people get one too. Please donate to Cranstoun so we can change lives in Windsor, Maidenhead and beyond.