Gloucestershire charity sleep out in aid of homelessness prevention

CCP Chief Executive officer Cordell Ray with colleagues about to partake in the Big Sleep Out

Up to 60 people who spent the night sleeping rough in aid of 16 to 25-year-olds who face homelessness raised more than £40,000.

Members of Gloucestershire based charity Caring for Communities and People (CCP) slept out at Brickhampton Golf Club on Wednesday.

The funds will go towards helping young people in supported accommodation.

One, Jasmine Wood, said: "If it wasn't for CCP I'd still be sofa surfing, or potentially living rough."

Nick Anthony, people and change consultant at CCP, said: "It's quite common that all of a sudden young people need a fresh start as things may not be going well in the family environment."

The charity, which delivers services and projects in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Wiltshire, Dorset and Devon, said the cost of living crisis was also fuelling homelessness.

The team has £100,000 total fundraising goal, with the cash going towards financial support, debt, housing and benefit advice, family support services and sending out emergency food parcels.

Since being under the care of CCP, Julia Idec has moved into a new home and has started a new job

Another young person to benefit has been Julia Idec who, at the age of 18, was asked to move out of her family home.

She spent a month sofa surfing - moving from one friend or relative's house to another - with her boyfriend, before discovering she was pregnant.

After going to the council for help, she was housed in supported accommodation run by CCP in Yate, South Gloucestershire.

"It felt like the staff was just our friends, they were people you could sit down and joke with," said Ms Ipec.

While living under CCP's care, she said staff helped her develop financial skills and after she gave birth, the charity helped her to secure council accommodation.

She now works as an apprentice within CCP's family service support team.

Jasmine Wood says the stigma around homelessness needs to be addressed

Ms Wood, 22, currently lives in supported accommodation run by the charity.

She had to move out of her family home because of lack of space, and said she could not afford her own place because of health issues she has.

She also spent several months sofa surfing, which she said worsened her mental health.

"All of a sudden within a week, everything flipped on its head and I found myself homeless," said Ms Wood.

Moving into supported accommodation was "a breath of fresh air", she said, providing her with more stability.