Grant helps furnish accommodation for people moving on from homelessness

A grant from the Groves Family Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland has helped furnish accommodation for people moving on from homelessness hostels in Newcastle. The £5,000 grant to Changing Lives, helped with the provision of household items including furniture. 

The individuals using the accommodation often don’t have their own possessions which in turn makes having their own tenancy seem unattainable. Having a grant purely dedicated to purchasing household essentials for unfurnished properties and properties with basic provision has removed a major barrier to people being able to move on and start a new chapter in their lives. 

Elaine Holdsworth, Senior Philanthropy Advisor said: 

“Furnishing accommodation helps make a house a home. It personalises the space, makes it practically useful and helps give the residents the freedom to live independently with dignity. Given the cost of living crisis, grants like this make an even bigger impact”. 

For Andrew Gibson, who was supported into his own tenancy through Changing Lives, the grant made a substantial difference: 

“Due to circumstances out of my control, I was placed into supported accommodation after becoming homeless. I have now gained my own tenancy. Due to the help of the Groves Family Fund that helped me with furniture, I have a place I can call my forever home where I am able to start building my life within the community. 

“If this help was not available, I would not be in the position I am today. For this I am forever grateful to the Fund”.   

Thanks to the grant funding, Changing Lives have identified a number of positive outcomes, including people moving into their first independent tenancies, seeing an end to perpetuating cycles of homelessness or rough sleeping, and some who are actively progressing into work, training and education. 

Bev Bryson, Project Lead at Changing Lives said: 

“The Grove Family Funding has given people we support a start to help rebuild their lives within the community. It has provided a foundation to enable them to build a home for themselves. It has made them feel more confident moving forward with their future”.