A Hopestead programme which helps people build new lives after a period of homelessness has been shortlisted for a top award.
Hope at Home, which has been running since 2021, is one of the finalists in the ‘We Care’ category at the Travis Perkins Managed Services Better Together Awards 2025.
Lucy Parish, Hopestead’s Head of Operations, said it was an honour to be shortlisted for the awards, which shine a spotlight on groups that are changing people’s lives and improving communities.
She said: “It’s our mission to end homelessness, but we won’t do that by just giving people a roof over their head. Many people we work with have few or no belongings of their own. Hope at Home helps them create a space that feels like home.”
Through Hope at Home, Hopestead supplies packages of furniture, bedding, appliances and flooring to people moving into a rented home owned by Flagship Group after experiencing homelessness. They can choose the colours and styles they prefer, to help build a sense of ownership and pride in their surroundings.
Ms Parish said: “This work is about more than just material support. It’s about restoring dignity and stability. When people feel secure and valued in their homes, they’re far more likely to build the confidence they need to move forward.”
In the last year, Hope at Home supported 418 people across 239 households, including 154 children. Most referrals came from temporary accommodation, including survivors of domestic abuse.
Among those helped:
• 93% felt more positive and settled in their new homes.
• 50% said they were better able to cope financially.
• 97% sustained their tenancies despite being statistically three times more likely not to.
In November, Hope at Home was named Homelessness Project of the Year at the UK Housing Awards.
Hopestead was established in 2020 by Flagship Group, the largest not-for-profit housing provider in the east of England.
Winners of the Better Together Awards receive £5,000 to further their projects and continue making a difference. They will be announced at a ceremony on 13 March at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire.