A homeless charity is launching a new hub in Birmingham to help people turn their lives around through education and employment.
Reconnected has invested £100,000 to convert a Victorian building in Rotton Park Road, Edgbaston, into a purpose-built 11-bedroom centre dedicated to giving hundreds of homeless people a new start in life. It will be managed by two full-time staff and three volunteers.
The Birmingham-based homeless charity already has a similar residential hub in Lower Essex Street in the city centre but was keen to extend its services in order to help more homeless people to get off the streets for good.
Spearheaded by the directors of property specialist Centrick, Reconnected was launched in 2013 by a group of industry leaders from both social and private housing sectors, including the charity’s operations director Fred Duncan. Its two hubs provide high-quality self-contained rooms, that allow privacy and encourage responsibility. They offer homeless individuals the chance to regain their stability from the safety of the hub whilst encouraging independence.
Fred Duncan, operations director at Reconnected, said: “I am really proud of the new hub that we have created. Each room has en-suite facilities and is fully furnished thanks to the generosity of Loft Interiors who have donated all the beds, wardrobes, tables and chairs.
“I would like to say thank you to all the donors that have supported our fundraising which has allowed us to open the new hub. This is the kind of support we will continue to need and we would like to hear from like-minded companies to help us deliver this vital service by adopting an individual room or the entire hub.”
He added: “The primary responsibility of a government is to provide security and accommodation for its citizens, but it is clear that they can’t do this alone. The task is so enormous that we can’t do it alone either, which is why we want the private sector to come in and support us and deal with the major issue of homelessness.”
Since being established almost 10 years ago, Reconnected has helped more than 250 people into their own accommodation, with 98% of those now in employment or running their own business. Supporters include Centrick, Virtu and LoveBrum.
The homeless charity has called on business peers and partners to help it provide a safe and secure place, and to give residents a future they can look forward to. It desperately needs like-minded individuals and businesses to adopt its rooms, enabling it to transform lives.
Room adoption costs just £100 per month, while hub adoption costs £400 per month. For more information email info@reconnected.org.uk, or call 0121 622 6346.
“Our aim is that everyone that comes through our doors becomes a productive member of the community. We just need a few companies to come together and say they want to make a difference and we can then begin to fix the ills of our society one at a time,” added Fred.
Reconnected was established by Centrick in December 2013, incorporated into the register of charities England and Wales in April 2014, and has supported over 250 homeless people. Seven years ago it set up its City Hub in Birmingham where it provides rooms with double beds and ensuite facilities with dedicated housing and reintegration support officers. Today, the charity’s board includes the founders of Centrick, its operations director Fred Duncan and Tim Andrews MBE, chairman of trustees for LoveBrum. Supporters include FareShare, Tesco, Asda and Nandos.
About Centrick:
Centrick prides itself on being a team of knowledgeable industry experts with a joined-up approach to all aspects of the property sector. Innovation is at the heart of everything it does, helping it to adapt to the ever-changing market. This is all underpinned with a strong ethical code of trust and family values, where the team works as one to deliver exceptional service.
Specialists across both residential and commercial property sectors, Centrick is forward-thinking and agile; always looking for new ways to work flexibly to meet the needs of its clients, using its strength and depth across the property sector. By investing in talent, leading the way on industry practices, developing its technology and systems, it delivers an outstanding service to clients.
Providing national coverage, with offices in Birmingham, Solihull, Nottingham, Southampton and London, Centrick’s services include:
- Residential sales.
- Residential lettings.
- New homes.
- Build to rent.
- Asset Management.
- Estate Management.
- Valuation and Professional Services
- Land sales and acquisitions.
About Virtu Property:
Virtu Property provides a range of property services including landlord reactive maintenance, property maintenance, cleaning, interior refurbishment and design, window cleaning, caretaking, grounds maintenance and landscaping. For more information visit the Virtu website.
About Reconnected:
With approximately 12,000 homeless people in Birmingham, Reconnected is a homeless charity committed to changing both the perception of homelessness and bringing about permanent improvement for those it can help. Working with real people, Reconnected gets to the root cause of the individual situation, understanding what can be done to resolve their challenges. Established by Centrick founder James Ackrill, Centrick is committed to supporting and raising money for this greater cause.
Reconnected’s primary function is to provide housing, support, employability, and development programmes to individuals. The service is designed to use compassion and human connection to bring hope and opportunities to people struggling with homelessness. Working with each individual, Reconnected strives to provide a fresh start to those that need it, this includes access to everyday facilities such as banking, benefits, healthcare, employment and education
