Charity Demands Aid For Homeless

A charity supporting homeless people has called on the government to provide £300m for education to help prepare them for employment. The call came from the charity Crisis as it opened seven hostels across London for Christmas.

Crisis is providing food, bedding, medical checks, benefits advice and even a dog “creche”. The Michelin-star chef Jean Christophe Novelli is among the volunteers and is cooking at one of the centres. It is the 35th year Crisis has organised its Open Christmas scheme which runs until 30 December.

The project offers internet access, medical care, television, eye-testing, hair-cuts, skills training and advice on housing and benefits. Crisis estimates that the centres will serve up 30,000 meals over the holiday period.

French-born Mr Novelli is doing his bit on Saturday, helping out with the cooking for up to 300 people at the opening of a centre close to Liverpool Street station. He said: “Celebrations around Christmas often revolve around good dining with friends so why should a homeless person’s Christmas be any different?”

The charity says 97% of homeless people in the UK want a job, but 37% have no qualifications, and more than half have been out of work for over three years.

Leslie Morphy, chief executive of Crisis, said: “Learning can literally change lives. If the government recognised the importance of learning in tackling homelessness and committed substantial funds, we could help so many more homeless people.”

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: “Getting homeless people into training and employment is a key part of the government’s strategy for preventing and reducing homelessness. We are providing £90m through the Hostel Capital Improvement Programme to make hostels places of change.”