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50 Years of Hope

2024 is our 50th Anniversary! During this momentous year we will be reflecting on the journey we’ve undertaken and the milestones we’ve achieved along the way. It’s an occasion that fills us with immense pride, and we’re excited to share this special year with all of you. Our theme for this significant milestone is “The Changing Face of Homelessness.” Over the past half-century, we have witnessed remarkable transformations in our society, but the issue of homelessness and hardship continues to persist. While we’ve made slow but positive strides in understanding the underlying social causes of homelessness, there’s still much work to be done to eradicate the stigma that often accompanies it, further burdening those already facing hardships and homelessness.

The Changing Face of Homelessness

One of the most important aspects of our anniversary celebration is the opportunity to challenge preconceived notions about homelessness and hardship. Our theme is ‘The Changing Face of Homelessness’. We will be spending time illustrating the complexity and diversity of the causes of homelessness. If you take the time to look into the lives of people affected by homelessness you begin to realise that the many preconceived ideas just don’t ring true. Homelessness is not long term, and its not ultimately about individual issues such as mental health problems or substance misuse.

The rising cost of private rents for example has meant there has been a shift towards professions such as nursing and their families, becoming affected. There is growing number of refugees fleeing conflict and the new problem of on-line gambling is increasing numbers of people rough sleeping or sofa-surfing as debts spiral. Within the UK there has been a decline in the availability of social housing and the lack of affordable housing means there are not enough to keep up with increasing populations. In the UK, almost one in 10 of the workforce are in unreliable work and the huge increases in inflation has further increased high housing costs, these social circumstances means secure housing and financial security is not a reality for groups of people in our society.

Keep a look out for our window and mirror stickers!

You might start seeing these window and mirror stickers popping up around shopping centres and the town centre. Businesses across the town are showing their support for the work we do by displaying our stickers. Weston Favell Shopping Centre  are the first supporters so keep an eye our for our stickers around the centre. Positioned on mirrors, they invite you to consider how easy it is to find yourself homeless.

If you would like some of our stickers for your business premises to show your support, please contact us!

A New Place for Hope – Permanent Night Shelter

During the warm summer months, turning people out on the street when we close at the end of service is not too challenging. We know people will be safe and will return in the morning for support. In the winter months though, it is is a different story. It is not unusual for us to find blankets, sleeping bags, warm coats for the most vulnerable people, give them a final hot drink and send them out onto the street at 3pm in the cold and rain, knowing they will have to find somewhere outside all night to sleep, not knowing if they will be safe or survive the night. Many simply walk continuously all night to keep warm, trying not to fall asleep for fear of being attacked, and in the morning when we open our doors, they are exhausted and freezing.

Providing a safe overnight shelter for our homeless community is one of our goals for our anniversary year. The rising numbers of individuals facing homelessness over the last 12 months has meant a lack of emergency accommodation in the district, during severe weather, a permanent shelter would help us better support the most vulnerable in our community to get back on their feet.

Our Anniversary Commitment:

During 2024 we will delve deep into the lives of those facing homelessness and struggling with hardship. By sharing their unique stories, we aim to provide a window into what homelessness and hardship looks like in 2024 and how it has evolved over the past five decades – both the positive and negative changes. Our goal is to showcase what processes and support systems have proven effective and work to build on our history and legacy to improve services and support provision in the district.

What to expect:

Over the next 12 months, this page will evolve as we take you on our 50-year journey. We will regularly update it with information on upcoming events, links to new stories, and most importantly, ways in which you can get involved in our incredible milestone. By participating in our anniversary celebrations, you can make a real impact on the lives of those who find themselves in heartbreaking situations, struggling with homelessness and hardship.

Take Part:

March – Get Planting!

Plant 50 Sunflowers for Hope

Last year as part of a waste prevention initiative, volunteers collected waste sunflowers from Sunnies and Spooks farm. The seeds were collected and dried and have been packed up ready for planting this March. We are looking for 50 participants to grow a sunflower to represent every year we have been supporting people facing homelessness. Could your school or organisation plant 50!

Measure the height of your sunflower and get sponsored to grow the highest. Send us photographs of your sunflower so we can build a collage of sunflowers as a celebration of lives re-built through the work of our charity.

Email us for your free pack of seeds and a fundraising pack! 

50 for 50 – Fitness challenge!

We launched our anniversary year with a fitness challenge which is open to registrations throughout our birthday year.  Do you want to kick start your journey to fitness? You can choose how you move, the only rule is that you move 50 miles 50 days! Run, walk, jog or skip, every step you take will raise money for our birthday campaign.

Email the fundraising team to sign up HERE.

Download your sponsorship form HERE.

Share your Birthday with us!

Are you celebrating a milestone year or birthday this year?  Are you holding a birthday party or celebration event? Let us celebrate with you. We have a gift pack with balloons and event fundraising ideas so we can celebrate with you.

You can download your fundraising pack HERE.

Ride for Hope – 50 Cyclists for 5o Years!

As part of our anniversary year we are cycling a classic route! We are looking for 50 cyclists to take up the challenge this year. There is a 3 or 4 day cycle leaving from either Northampton or London and cycling to Paris. It’s a tough but beautiful ride with the usual mix of fun, food and friendship. Starting on the 3rd or 4th October.

You can find information about this event on our events page or by CLICKING HERE.

HOPE FEST

When: 20th and 21st September 2024

Where: Delapre Abbey.

We are celebrating ’50 Year’s of Hope’ at Hope Fest! It’s a two day extravaganza held in the grounds of the historic Delapre Abbey. Hope Fest is one of our key events taking place in our 50th year where we will be inviting everyone to join us across Northamptonshire to celebrate with us. We are showcasing a line-up of attractions with live music from local bands, DJs, a food and drinks fair, a children’s fun fair and more.

It is set to be a fantastic event, celebrating our milestone anniversary. Information will be shared here first!

If you are interested in some of the sponsorship packages currently available, click the graphic below.

Keep In Touch:

Keep in touch! Keep an eye on our social media channels and our website as we approach our 50th anniversary. We invite you to join us in reflecting on the changing face of homelessness. Together, we can work towards a future where homelessness is eradicated, and individuals facing hardships receive the support and understanding they deserve. We look forward to the year ahead, filled with exciting events and opportunities for all of us to make a lasting difference in the lives of those affected by homelessness and hardship. Thank you for being part of our journey, and here’s to the next 50 years of progress, compassion, and change.

Donate to support people facing homelessness and hardship this year. Click the graphic below: