Gloucester Homeless Schemes Shortlisted for Award 

We are pleased to have been shortlisted in the national Homeless Link Excellence Awards, for the development of 3 new homeless schemes creating 37 safe and secure homes for former-rough sleepers and those at-risk of rough sleeping in Gloucester.  

The award category is ‘Home Safe’ which highlights the crucial role that accessible and affordable housing plays in preventing and resolving homelessness. The shortlisted projects demonstrate high quality, affordable accommodation options for individuals or couples experiencing homelessness. 

Following on from the Governments ‘Everyone In’ scheme at the start of the Pandemic, GCH worked in partnership with Gloucester City Council and members of the Gloucestershire Housing Partnership to develop a bid to the Government’s Next Steps Accommodation Program (NSAP) by identifying local needs and putting forward 3 innovative schemes. This grant alongside additional funding from Gloucester City Council, provided £1.7million to enable GCH to create 37 new homes offering spacious, high quality self-contained accommodation, bringing back into use 3 empty buildings, including previous office accommodation. The project is an example of strong partnership working across statutory, housing and specialist support agencies. 

Natalie Thelwell, Head of Housing at GCH adds “The new homeless accommodation schemes, launched in 2021 and 2022, demonstrate GCH’s commitment to providing sustainable pathways into permanent housing through the provision of high-quality longer-term housing together with individual support packages delivered in partnership with P3. The self-contained flats offer a positive alternative to B&B accommodation, providing safe and secure homes where people can start to rebuild their lives with specialist support.” 

Guy Stenson, Chief Executive at GCH says “We are really pleased to have our work recognised in these prestigious awards amongst many other great organisations and schemes. Already we can see the huge impact that these homes have had on many local people, it’s been heartening seeing the change in the lives of people, seeing people not just surviving but thriving and taking more control of their future. We hope these projects lead the way for other projects across the County and further.” 

More information about the Homeless Link awards and shortlist can be found here