A donation of furniture from Moulton College has helped Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) to get homes ready for former rough sleepers to move into.
The furniture came from a property on the college’s Moulton campus, which had previously been occupied by a staff member.
Thanks to a great idea from one of her colleagues, Jan Skelton arranged for the items that were no longer needed to be donated to NPH.
NPH was delighted to be approached by Moulton College, and used the white goods, sofas, beds, crockery, and kitchen utensils to furnish three dedicated homes for residents with a history of street homelessness.
Michael Putnam, director of facilities management at Moulton College, said: “The property was recently vacated, and we needed to clear the furniture out before re-letting it.
“The furnishings were all in a nearly new condition, and it seemed like a shame to throw it away. So, one of our team suggested we get in touch with NPH to see if they could make use of it.
“We’re delighted that NPH has been able to kit out three homes with the furniture as part of their mission to house local people in need of accommodation.”
These homes provide much needed accommodation for the Rough Sleeper Accommodation Project (RSAP). They are specifically designed to meet the needs of those moving in.
Having everything already in place, means residents can be warm and comfortable from the day they move in.
James Clarke, area manager at NPH, said: “We want to say a huge thank you to Moulton College for their generous donation. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home, and this furniture will help us make sure new residents have the items they need to make their new house a home.
“It’s really important to us that residents have the best chance of being able to engage with the support our team offers.”
After experiencing homelessness for a long time, moving into your own home can be a difficult transition. The support NPH provides goes beyond finding a home.
Once the resident has moved in, NPH’s support officer works with them to gain the skills needed to sustain their tenancy. This could include money management, setting up bills and cooking.
The project aims to support residents for two years before helping them move into a permanent home and live independently.
Image: James Clarke from Northampton Partnership Homes, Michael Putnam, and Jan Skelton from Moulton
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