3 January 2023
The roll-out of Change for Good contactless giving points across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has made it quick, safe and secure to donate to charities that help people who are experiencing homelessness – and the public rallied to help those in crisis.
Between April and September 2022, more than £8,000 was awarded to charities and support services that work with people who were formerly rough sleeping as they rebuild their lives, with grants independently administered by the Dorset Community Foundation.
Helping people off the streets is, however, just the beginning of their journey to recovery and every penny raised has enabled local services to provide essential support for vulnerable individuals as they move on into safe accommodation, preventing a return to rough sleeping.
Below, we take a look at how generous donations from across the conurbation brought hope and a brighter future to so many people during 2022.
Helping Homeless Veterans
Brave veterans have dedicated their lives to keeping our country safe – and the public dug deep into their pockets to help them in their time of need.
Change for Good donations helped the Dorset Community Foundation to award a £1,000 grant to Helping Homeless Veterans. As a result, a new supported accommodation block that’s home to six formerly homeless veterans now has an industrial washing machine and a large fridge freezer – assisting residents to rebuild their lives with hope and dignity.
YMCA Bournemouth
Moving into an unfurnished flat can be a daunting experience, but thanks to generous donations via our Change for Good campaign, a £500 grant was awarded to YMCA to transform independent accommodation into a welcoming home.
YMCA’s client now has a table, chairs, flooring, curtains, blinds and cupboards – essentials for everyday living that help to prevent people from returning to the streets as they begin to rebuild their lives.
Routes to Roots
A women’s group for people who are sleeping rough, as well as for vulnerable women who have been housed, has become reality, thanks to Change for Good.
Poole-based homelessness charity Routes to Roots successfully gained a grant of £1,000, which also supported additional drop-in sessions for people who are rough sleeping, providing basic necessities such as showers, hot food and clothing.
Safe and Sound Dorset
Safe and Sound Dorset, a charity that supports women who are isolated or at risk in Bournemouth and Boscombe, was able to ramp-up its work thanks to a £1,000 grant from Change for Good.
Funds enabled the charity to redecorate a bedroom/lounge for two women who had moved into new accommodation in the last year, following support provided by Safe and Sound.
Dorset Working Women’s Project Donations have made a big difference to the lives of 20 vulnerable women, helped by the Dorset Working Women’s Project.
A £1,000 grant, awarded by the Dorset Community Foundation, enabled the project to buy essential household items including toiletries, washing powder, towels and pyjamas for women who were moving into the safety of sheltered accommodation.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army in Boscombe comes to the rescue of some of the conurbation’s most vulnerable people, providing food and help to those most in need, along with toys and presents for children and families at Christmas.
This vital work was given a further boost when a £1,000 grant helped the charity to buy chairs and tables for a drop-in centre that supports people who are homeless in Bournemouth. The funding also helped to connect people in crisis with relevant agencies, so they can receive support and begin the journey to rebuilding their lives.
BCHA
Change for Good donations made a big difference to the lives of residents at a Bournemouth hostel, run by south west-based charitable housing association BCHA.
A grant of £985 helped the Bournemouth-based service to buy and install a cooker, extractor unit and work surfaces for its kitchen. The facilities have enabled 40 residents to learn essential cooking skills with the support of staff, helping to pave the way towards healthy eating and independent living.
Hope Housing
Hope Housing, Training and Support has helped more than 1,800 vulnerable adults into safe, supported accommodation to date – and its ground-breaking work was given a boost with a £500 grant.
The money, raised via Change for Good, provided move-in packs for 10 new residents at sheltered accommodation. Packs contain much-needed everyday essentials for independent living, such as bedding, toiletries, crockery and cooking equipment.
Safe and Sound Dorset
Many people moving into independent accommodation have complex needs. Change for Good funds helped to buy a specialist orthopaedic adjustable bed for a lady with disabilities, as she settled into new accommodation.
To enable the purchase, a grant of £500 was made to Safe and Sound Dorset, a charity that supports women who are isolated or at risk in Bournemouth and Boscombe.
Please continue to support our work: you can donate via our JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/changeforgoodBournemouth
About the Homelessness Partnership BCP
The Homelessness Partnership BCP is made up of more than 40 local organisations that have signed a charter committing “to end homelessness in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by ensuring everyone has a safe place to live that they can call home”.
It is driven by representatives of statutory bodies (council, police, health and probation), businesses, charities, faith groups, universities and educational institutions – as well as people with lived experience of homelessness.
