Organizations write open letter praising Prince William’s plan to tackle homelessness
Bosses of some of the biggest homelessness organizations write an open letter praising Prince William’s plan to tackle the problem in his new £3million scheme
- They said it was a ‘sad reality’ that homelessness will still exist in the UK in 2023
Sixteen CEOs from some of the country’s largest homelessness organizations have written an unprecedented open letter expressing their pride in the Prince of Wales’ ambitious new bid.
They described it as a “sad reality” that homelessness will still exist in the UK in 2023.
“It is estimated that more than 300,000 people – nearly half of them children – are sofa surfing, sleeping on the street, staying in hostels and other temporary accommodation, or living in their cars,” they wrote.
The letter added: “Sometimes the problem of homelessness can feel deep-rooted, inevitable and insurmountable, but we know it doesn’t have to be. Every day our organizations help prevent and end homelessness for many people.
“We know how to end it (in all its forms), making it rare, short, and unrepeated. But to achieve this, and to do it sustainably, we now need a real collective and national response.’
Prince William speaks on stage during his visit to Mosaic Clubhouse
The Prince of Wales and Geri Horner on a visit to Maindee Primary School in Newport
They called for a nationwide response to the problem, adding: “As homelessness organizations, we know we need more and better collaboration and community-wide participation to prevent homelessness. This is a social problem and it requires a response from the whole society.
“But for the level of change required, we need support from everyone, from every sector, across the UK (and beyond), and on a larger scale than ever before. This is where Prince William’s involvement will be crucial.”
They praised the prince for his ability to ‘convene players across the spectrum’ and ‘get these issues to the top of the agenda’, saying of his intervention: ‘This will be essential if we really want to end homelessness.
‘The challenge is great and should not be underestimated. But as an industry, we are excited to see how the six Homewards locations will use the space, tools and relationships this program provides to find solutions that prevent and end homelessness.”
Signatories ranging from Centrepoint’s Seyi Obakin to The Passage’s Mick Clarke added that they were ‘proud’ to be working as a sector with the future King and his Royal Foundation to find a lasting solution to ending homelessness.