We’ve made it! Donor makes up the shortfall!

Once again, a massive thank you to everyone, including the Oxford Mail, who has supported us and helped us to reach our target. Well done to everyone in the community and particular thanks to the Oxfordshire Community Foundation for sourcing the matched funding. We have almost doubled the amount raised last year, which will help us to help those who are vulnerable and live on the street. These donations will allow the charities who work with the homeless daily, to be able to continue to offer support and also develop new initiatives.

“The Gatehouse is delighted to work in partnership with Oxford Homeless Movement, as more joined-up working can only lead to better outcomes for people experiencing homelessness in Oxfordshire. We will be using the funds received from this campaign, to continue the One to One Project Worker support that is delivered to our guests at the Gatehouse and to develop further new initiatives such as a women’s only space and the collaborative work being done in the newly developed Lived Experience Advisory Forum.”

Katrina Horne – Project Director The Gatehouse

“We really value the funding from Oxford Homeless Movement as this will give us additional scope to support our clients at a time when they really need it and we can use it to make a real difference to our clients to help them move on with their lives.”

The people we support could be fleeing domestic violence, young adults with no family to guide and support them, people with mental health issues or with needs arising from their physical health.

At the heart of what we do is to help people become independent so we also provide support linking clients with other local organisations and agencies who can provide this.”

Kate Hill – Operations Manager, Connection Support

The donations raised will be distributed to:

• homelessness charities that are members of Oxford Homeless Movement
• help provide services at the assessment centre and shelter opening in Floyds Row from January 2020
• an impact fund that will be used to fund the development of new initiatives filling critical gaps between services reducing rough sleeping.

There is still a lot of work to be done to help those who end up homeless and we also want to concentrate on offering support in the area of prevention so that we help catch people before they fall into homelessness.

Oxfordshire Community Foundation will be opening a grant round where any charity working in the homeless sector, will be able to apply. They will particularly be looking for projects which work within the social letting sector and in prevention. Grant applications will open on the 23 January 2020 and close on the 4 March and the panel will sit on the 22 April 2020. Further information will follow.

“I’m thrilled we’ve reached our target – huge thanks to everyone who has contributed time, resource and money to help us get there.

Jane Cranston – Chair Oxford Homeless Movement

How you can help with Oxford Homeless Movement

• Sign our charter
• Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook
• Volunteer
• Donate

Visit oxfordhomelessmovement.org.uk to find out more and donate.