Homelessness services expanded thanks to Broxtowe community grant

Part of the grant will go towards supporting provision for Broxtowe residents at the new female-only homeless facility, Aspire House, which provides nine bedrooms, a family contact centre, and a comprehensive support centre.

This centre is the only female-only homeless service in the area, providing an essential safe space for women that face housing crises and homelessness in Broxtowe.

UKSPF, with £20,000 match funding from the trust, will allow the trust to increase its capacity in several service areas, including:

• Outreach support – increased ability to respond to referrals through their 24/7, 365 days a year emergency support service.
• Housing crisis intervention – helping residents faced with eviction navigate their options and prevent homelessness.
• Education and training – life skills training to help people to live independently, including financial literacy, employability skills, and tenancy maintenance.
• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) registered counselling – professional mental health support in individual and group sessions.
• Family support – specialised services aimed at keeping families together, especially mothers at risk of losing their children.

Coun Greg Marshall (Brox All), Broxtowe Council deputy leader, said: The Canaan Trust do such incredible work in our borough to combat homelessness, providing vital support to those that need it.

"I’m so pleased that we’re able to aid in the expansion of their services to support more people that find themselves in need of help through difficult times.”

On average, the Canaan Trust receives five homelessness referrals from Broxtowe Council per month, as well as eight to 12 calls from the public regarding rough sleepers in the borough.

All £160,000 of the council’s most recent UKSPF community grants programme has now been allocated as projects begin to get underway across the borough.