28 March 2008
Homelessness charity Broadway to reduce rough sleeper count in
City of London to zero
Leading homelessness charity Broadway has won a three year
contract to deliver outreach intervention services for rough
sleepers and other street population issues in the City of
London.
Launching on 1 April, Broadway’s outreach team will work to help
the government to achieve a zero count of rough sleepers in the
City of London by 2012. With a background of over thirty years
experience working with homeless people in London, Broadway
operates by tackling the root causes of homelessness and finding
long-term solutions to the problems which lead to people living on
the streets.
The outreach team will be a gateway to a wide network of
support, advice and essential services. Rough sleepers will be
individually assessed, carefully monitored and linked with hostel
or rental accommodation, debt advice, alcohol and substance misuse
support, learning and employment opportunities. And as rough
sleepers move off the streets, the City can look forward to a
substantial reduction in the anti-social behaviours of street
begging, drinking and drug use.
Broadway has a strong track record of delivering outreach
services in high profile areas of London. They stabilised and
reduced the numbers sleeping out in the hotspot areas in Kensington
and Chelsea, and achieved a zero in the last Hammersmith and Fulham
official rough sleeping count. Key to their success is a close
partnership with local businesses and residents in the community.
David Fisher, director of services at Broadway, is confident that
the charity’s knowledge of London and targeted approach will ensure
the reduction of rough sleeping figures in the City:
“To work successfully with rough sleepers, we have to target the
individual needs of each person and the environment in which they
are living. We recognise the unique nature of the City of London as
a centre for business and culture, and we look forward to the
challenge of providing a service to meet the needs of both the
homeless population and the local community”
Jenny Goodall, Director of Community and Children's Services at
the City of London says:
“As the world’s leading international financial centre, the City
of London is committed to maintaining high quality, accessible and
responsible services for its communities, and we are delighted that
we are working with Broadway in addressing the issue of
homelessness. By offering appropriate accommodation to homeless
people and by helping them develop their life skills, we aim to
achieve a zero rough sleeper count by 2012.”
Ends
Notes for editors
For more information about Broadway, please contact:
Howard Sinclair, Chief Executive: 020 7089 9531
Mark Grant, Deputy Chief Executive: 020 7089 9532
www.broadwaylondon.org
Press contact
For more information about the City of London, please contact
Loretta Lui on 020 7332 1528