Asylum seekers and refugees at risk of homelessness in Bradford given a lifeline
Asylum seekers and refugees at risk of homelessness in Bradford are being given a lifeline thanks to the charity Hope Housing and funding from the West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin.
12th January 2023
Asylum seekers and refugees at risk of homelessness in Bradford are being given a lifeline thanks to the charity Hope Housing and funding from the West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin.
Since 2009, Hope Housing has been working to end rough sleeping in the city by providing accommodation and support to people experiencing homelessness.
The charity has received a near £6,000 in funding from Mayor Brabin’s Safer Communities Fund to help them bring on board a Migrant Support Worker to work with asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants in need of accommodation.
The charity’s Migrant Support Worker provides people in need with emergency housing and long-term sustainable homes, helps with access to employment and healthcare, and supports with transitioning into new communities.
Today (Thursday 12 January), West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe OBE, went to see first-hand how the charity is making a difference to individuals in Bradford.
Speaking at the visit, Deputy Mayor Lowe said:
“West Yorkshire is home to over 2.3 million people and countless wonderful and diverse communities, who should all feel welcome and supported here.
“I am delighted the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund has enabled Hope Housing to continue working with some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
“Supporting people to build safe and secure lives in our region is vital to ensuring our communities continue to thrive.”
Phil Marshall, CEO of Hope Housing said:
“The money we have received from the Mayor's Safer Communities Fund has helped Hope Housing to employ specific support workers to work with migrants and refugees who have nowhere to go or nobody to look after or support them when they arrive in the country.
“By giving them a home and a stability, they have been able to move on with their lives and learn new skills.
“With the support of Hope Housing’s Migrant Support Workers, they can look forward to a future where they can give something back to the community that has supported them.”
Using the money police and prosecutors recover from criminal activities, the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund provides vital funding to community-based organisations that aim to make their local area safer.
In 2022, the fund channelled over £500,000 into 100 projects that impacted more than 23,000 people in West Yorkshire.
Other funded projects tackling homelessness in West Yorkshire include St George’s Crypt, who are using their funding for a residential addiction recovery programme in Leeds, and Oxygen Films who are directing their funding into supporting LGBTQ+ young people, including those who are homeless or without home security, to tell their stories through film making.