This winter, over 300,000 people in the UK will face the bitter cold without a place to call home. Whoever we are, wherever we live, everyone needs a place to call home. A roof over our heads, a door to shut on difficult days, a place to rest and recharge. But many people, for many reasons – family breakdown, the cost of housing in the UK or civil unrest overseas – are forced to flee their homes.
This winter, Comic Relief is partnering with The Standard to spread warmth across the UK, providing warm beds and supportive communities. Donations will fund local projects helping people find A Place to Call Home.
The Barratt Foundation is dedicated to supporting children and young people, and those most disadvantaged. Our donation will be used to help tackle:
- Food Insecurity: with so many people struggling to afford food, it’s unacceptable that so much goes to waste. Comic Relief will fund organisations to redistribute surplus food to those who need it most, who have wide-ranging community access across the UK. They are also exploring work with local co-operative food hubs and larders to prevent families falling into food insecurity.
- 2. Homelessness: in the UK, thousands of young people escape danger at home and end up living in fear on the streets, sleeping on sofas and floors, never knowing when they’ll have to move on. Comic Relief’s funded partners give people and families a safe place to stay with hot food and a warm welcome. They also fund project workers to support people to find permanent accommodation.
- 3. Refugees and Forced Migration: People forced to flee with their lives have to make dangerous journeys before they can find a new country to call home. In the UK, many refugees become homeless after being granted asylum because they are given only 28 days to move out of asylum accommodation and find their own housing. Comic Relief’s funded partners help refugees find a temporary home in the UK, learn language skills and guide them through the asylum system so they can feel right at home. They are also funding teams of lawyers who work to reunite children who are refugees with their families.
Andy Button-Stephens, Head of the Barratt Foundation, said: “The Barratt Foundation are proud to back The Standard’s A Place to Call Home campaign in partnership with Comic Relief. Our donation will help spread warmth to communities across the UK this winter – by funding food banks, local homeless shelters and temporary accommodation for those who urgently need it.”
