#StandTogether - Hopestead

AT FLAGSHIP, WE DON’T SIMPLY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES – WE WANT TO SOLVE THE HOUSING CRISIS TOO. OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO ESTABLISH HOPESTEAD, WHICH WE INTEND TO BE OUR NEW CHARITY THAT SUPPORTS FLAGSHIP’S GOAL AND IS COMMITTED TO END HOMELESSNESS IN THE EAST OF ENGLAND.

By working in partnership with local authorities, charities and social enterprises, Hopestead aims to prevent, reduce and alleviate homelessness, help to build sustainable communities and ensure everyone has a place to call home.

We didn’t expect to launch Hopestead so soon. However, due to COVID-19 we had to think differently and ask ourselves what else we can do now. We know COVID-19 has the potential to further increase homelessness, particularly with social renters being most at risk. We have an opportunity and responsibility to #StandTogether, do something positive and help those who need it most. So, we have brought our initiative forward.

The pandemic has affected everyone and changed the perspective of many. Communities are now more important than ever. People are going above and beyond to help the most vulnerable, and we’ve seen so many great things happening across the Group. Hopestead wants to enhance this work and provide teams with additional support to help keep people in their homes – because everyone deserves a place to call home.

We will share more information as things progress, but if you have any ideas, know of areas where we can do more, or would like to offer your help – please contact us below.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

🎅 Today, we’ve officially launched Gifting Hope in partnership with the wonderful folks at Norwich Riverside Morrisons. We’re setting up shop in-store to collect donations of household essentials, which will go directly to people moving into a new home after experiencing homelessness, who might otherwise have to go without, and are things that will actively help people thrive in their new homes. We know that many of our service users are single parents with young children, and we really appreciate your support – here’s how you can help.

❄ It’s been a tough year, and with the cold winter weather fast approaching, it’s a particularly difficult time for people without a safe place to call home. You’ll be able to spot the Hopestead table (next to The Brew cafe!) with the household items we’ve identified as most needed, including kitchenware and bedding - keep an eye out for the Hopestead shelf markers through the store.

🎁 If you’re able to donate, then please think about picking up one of these items. Then, all you need to do is pop it into our marked donation point just beyond the checkouts! It couldn’t be simpler, and you’ll be making a phenomenal difference to the lives of people in need.

🤝 We’re also looking for volunteers to support our fundraising efforts - could you spend a few hours to help us end homelessness? We’ll be in Morrisons from Monday 18 to Friday 22 December, and are asking you to donate a couple of hours to help us on those days. You can register your interest through the link in our bio.
All that’s left to say is thank you, and keep an eye on our social media throughout the festive period for updates on our fundraising and more ways you can help.

Nov 27

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

🎅 Today, we’ve officially launched Gifting Hope in partnership with the wonderful folks at Norwich Riverside Morrisons. We’re setting up shop in-store to collect donations of household essentials, which will go directly to people moving into a new home after experiencing homelessness, who might otherwise have to go without, and are things that will actively help people thrive in their new homes. We know that many of our service users are single parents with young children, and we really appreciate your support – here’s how you can help.

❄ It’s been a tough year, and with the cold winter weather fast approaching, it’s a particularly difficult time for people without a safe place to call home. You’ll be able to spot the Hopestead table (next to The Brew cafe!) with the household items we’ve identified as most needed, including kitchenware and bedding - keep an eye out for the Hopestead shelf markers through the store.

🎁 If you’re able to donate, then please think about picking up one of these items. Then, all you need to do is pop it into our marked donation point just beyond the checkouts! It couldn’t be simpler, and you’ll be making a phenomenal difference to the lives of people in need.

🤝 We’re also looking for volunteers to support our fundraising efforts - could you spend a few hours to help us end homelessness? We’ll be in Morrisons from Monday 18 to Friday 22 December, and are asking you to donate a couple of hours to help us on those days. You can register your interest through the link in our bio.
All that’s left to say is thank you, and keep an eye on our social media throughout the festive period for updates on our fundraising and more ways you can help.

See Hopestead Place come to life!

Hopestead Place is our project with @emmaus_suffolk and @new_meaning_foundation to open two modular homes to accommodation for people transitioning out of homelessness, and it’s the very first project completed under our Building Hope initiative!

Building Hope is about providing bed spaces and/or additional accommodation for those experiencing homelessness in the East of England and we’re really proud to have worked with Emmaus and NMF on this project.

Huge thanks too to @trettfilms for producing this video and really capturing these homes as they come to life, highlighting the project’s importance and social impact in the words of Claire Staddon (CEO, Emmaus Suffolk) and John Evans (CEO, New Meaning Foundation).

We’re hoping the homes will welcome their first tenants soon – stay tuned!

#hopestead #endhomelessness #charity #emmaus #newmeaningfoundation #construction #modularhomes #mmc #housing #ukhousing

Nov 24

See Hopestead Place come to life!

Hopestead Place is our project with @emmaus_suffolk and @new_meaning_foundation to open two modular homes to accommodation for people transitioning out of homelessness, and it’s the very first project completed under our Building Hope initiative!

Building Hope is about providing bed spaces and/or additional accommodation for those experiencing homelessness in the East of England and we’re really proud to have worked with Emmaus and NMF on this project.

Huge thanks too to @trettfilms for producing this video and really capturing these homes as they come to life, highlighting the project’s importance and social impact in the words of Claire Staddon (CEO, Emmaus Suffolk) and John Evans (CEO, New Meaning Foundation).

We’re hoping the homes will welcome their first tenants soon – stay tuned!

#hopestead #endhomelessness #charity #emmaus #newmeaningfoundation #construction #modularhomes #mmc #housing #ukhousing

Does this look like a lifestyle choice?

We could not disagree more strongly with the recent statements by the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, in which she expressed that the use of tents as shelter by people experiencing homelessness was a “lifestyle choice”. This came alongside plans to criminalise the use of tents by rough sleepers.

No-one chooses to experience homelessness.

We’re glad to see that these proposals did not make up part of the King’s Speech today, because criminalising the use of tents by rough sleepers wouldn’t solve the problem. The Home Office has said that they want “…communities to feel safe and secure” and the way to do that is not to turn people who are trying to survive into criminals.

We join the call from homelessness charities and organisations across the UK for the government to follow through on its pledge to end rough sleeping – the proposal to criminalise it was never the right answer, but there needs to be a robust plan to solve it.

Because access to a safe place to call home is a basic human right.

#hopestead #endhomelessness #roughsleeping #housing

Nov 7

Does this look like a lifestyle choice?

We could not disagree more strongly with the recent statements by the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, in which she expressed that the use of tents as shelter by people experiencing homelessness was a “lifestyle choice”. This came alongside plans to criminalise the use of tents by rough sleepers.

No-one chooses to experience homelessness.

We’re glad to see that these proposals did not make up part of the King’s Speech today, because criminalising the use of tents by rough sleepers wouldn’t solve the problem. The Home Office has said that they want “…communities to feel safe and secure” and the way to do that is not to turn people who are trying to survive into criminals.

We join the call from homelessness charities and organisations across the UK for the government to follow through on its pledge to end rough sleeping – the proposal to criminalise it was never the right answer, but there needs to be a robust plan to solve it.

Because access to a safe place to call home is a basic human right.

#hopestead #endhomelessness #roughsleeping #housing

The ribbon has officially been cut on Hopestead Place!

Today, we are incredibly proud to have unveiled Hopestead Place in partnership with @emmaus_suffolk, a site with two modular homes to provide accommodation to alleviate homelessness in Ipswich. Hopestead funded the homes, which sit next to Emmaus` community café, and the homes themselves were built by Cambridge charity @new_meaning_foundation (NMF) using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to ensure efficiency and affordability.

In the words of our CEO Marie-Claire Delbrouque, "This is the very first project delivered under our `Building Hope` initiative, which is the provision of bed spaces or additional homelessness accomodation in the East of England, and it’s something we’re very proud to be a part of."

Claire Staddon, CEO of Emmaus Suffolk, added: "They [Hopestead] decided that [funding this] was very much in keeping with ending homelessness, and these modular units will be that final complement to someone’s full rehabilitation from experiencing homelessness all the way through to stabilising themselves in their own home, with the dignity of their own front door."

And John Evans, CEO of New Meaning Foundation, said: “In addition to providing a house for someone who’s experienced homelessness, which is already a pretty positive impact, this has helped us with our aim to provide people with training and employment. We’ve had 66 trainees in the last three years building 20 micro-homes, of whom 36 are now in work and 12 are working full time with New Meaning, and it’s the funding from Hopestead into this project that’s helped that happen."

Thank you to everyone who`s been involved in this project from the outset all the way to today`s ribbon-cutting ceremony. These homes will provide a safe place to call home for people coming from a route of homelessness, and that`s everything for us.

Oct 10

The ribbon has officially been cut on Hopestead Place!

Today, we are incredibly proud to have unveiled Hopestead Place in partnership with @emmaus_suffolk, a site with two modular homes to provide accommodation to alleviate homelessness in Ipswich. Hopestead funded the homes, which sit next to Emmaus' community café, and the homes themselves were built by Cambridge charity @new_meaning_foundation (NMF) using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to ensure efficiency and affordability.

In the words of our CEO Marie-Claire Delbrouque, "This is the very first project delivered under our 'Building Hope' initiative, which is the provision of bed spaces or additional homelessness accomodation in the East of England, and it’s something we’re very proud to be a part of."

Claire Staddon, CEO of Emmaus Suffolk, added: "They [Hopestead] decided that [funding this] was very much in keeping with ending homelessness, and these modular units will be that final complement to someone’s full rehabilitation from experiencing homelessness all the way through to stabilising themselves in their own home, with the dignity of their own front door."

And John Evans, CEO of New Meaning Foundation, said: “In addition to providing a house for someone who’s experienced homelessness, which is already a pretty positive impact, this has helped us with our aim to provide people with training and employment. We’ve had 66 trainees in the last three years building 20 micro-homes, of whom 36 are now in work and 12 are working full time with New Meaning, and it’s the funding from Hopestead into this project that’s helped that happen."

Thank you to everyone who's been involved in this project from the outset all the way to today's ribbon-cutting ceremony. These homes will provide a safe place to call home for people coming from a route of homelessness, and that's everything for us.

Our summer fundraising roundup! 🌞

If you’ve visited the Norwich Riverside Morrisons at some point over July, August, or September you might have seen our lovely staff and volunteers collecting for Hope at Home!

In our most recent visit at the end of September we managed to collect over £170, which gives us a fantastic grand total of £553.59 this summer!

So, to all of you who donated your money or time to support us, we cannot thank you enough. All funds go to support those who have experienced homelessness to access essential items to thrive in their home. And, thanks to our partnership with Morrisons, we are able to donate emergency items like bedding and appliances so they have access to a safe warm place to sleep, eat, and live.

This summer has been a great success; we had some wonderful discussions with community members in Norwich and made some valuable connections for future partnership and fundraising opportunities.

It’s also just been wonderful to be out, sharing Hopestead’s values and missions with you all. Once again, we’re incredibly grateful for everyone’s support – we hope to be out and about again soon so keep your eyes peeled for us!

#charity #fundraising #endhomelessness #hopeathome #grateful

Oct 6

Our summer fundraising roundup! 🌞

If you’ve visited the Norwich Riverside Morrisons at some point over July, August, or September you might have seen our lovely staff and volunteers collecting for Hope at Home!

In our most recent visit at the end of September we managed to collect over £170, which gives us a fantastic grand total of £553.59 this summer!

So, to all of you who donated your money or time to support us, we cannot thank you enough. All funds go to support those who have experienced homelessness to access essential items to thrive in their home. And, thanks to our partnership with Morrisons, we are able to donate emergency items like bedding and appliances so they have access to a safe warm place to sleep, eat, and live.

This summer has been a great success; we had some wonderful discussions with community members in Norwich and made some valuable connections for future partnership and fundraising opportunities.

It’s also just been wonderful to be out, sharing Hopestead’s values and missions with you all. Once again, we’re incredibly grateful for everyone’s support – we hope to be out and about again soon so keep your eyes peeled for us!

#charity #fundraising #endhomelessness #hopeathome #grateful

Join us fundraising for #HopeAtHome this September!

We‘re incredibly grateful to our volunteer s�upporters who helped us add over £200 to our Hope at Home fundraising total last week at Morrisons Norwich Riverside.

We`ll be heading back there in two weeks` time on the following days, and we`d love for you to come along and take part:

- Wednesday, 20 September
- Thursday, 21 September
- Friday, 22 September
Hope at Home is all about raising money to provide essential household items for those moving into a new home from a route of homelessness. We`re thankful for any support you can offer by coming to Morrisons at Norwich Riverside with us to collect donations in-store.

Any time you`re able to spare directly helps our vision of ending homelessness - sign up to volunteer with us at the link in our bio!

Sep 6

Join us fundraising for #HopeAtHome this September!

We‘re incredibly grateful to our volunteer s�upporters who helped us add over £200 to our Hope at Home fundraising total last week at Morrisons Norwich Riverside.

We'll be heading back there in two weeks' time on the following days, and we'd love for you to come along and take part:

- Wednesday, 20 September
- Thursday, 21 September
- Friday, 22 September
Hope at Home is all about raising money to provide essential household items for those moving into a new home from a route of homelessness. We're thankful for any support you can offer by coming to Morrisons at Norwich Riverside with us to collect donations in-store.

Any time you're able to spare directly helps our vision of ending homelessness - sign up to volunteer with us at the link in our bio!