Table of Contents
YMCA Wirral has signed a joint letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to tackle homelessness. Mr Burnham announced an effort to end rough sleeping in his first speech as Prime Minister back in July.
The Birkenhead-based charity runs Wirral's largest homeless hostel, and is one of 78 homeless support and prevention organisations urging the PM to take the lead on his Housing First approach, as reported by Birkenhead News.
Nanette Mellor, CEO of YMCA Wirral, said: "There is no point trying to support someone on Merseyside through drug or alcohol misuse if we're not also giving them safe, stable accommodation. Without a stable and secure roof over our heads, we're living in fear day after day, and there's no way we are ever going to be strong enough to fight our demons. Housing needs to come first; it is the foundation that makes every other intervention possible."
The letter, started by Homeless Link, which represents many of England's prominent homelessness organisations in England, was signed by many charities, such as Crisis, Change Grow Live and St Mungo's.
Some have praised the progress of the homeless in Greater Manchester during Burnham's time as mayor from 2017 to 2026.
Those who signed the letter said it could be "a seminal moment in our nation's efforts to turn the tide on shamefully high levels of homelessness".
The organisations are calling for a meeting with the Prime Minister to co-design the Housing First philosophy, which they say could be transformative in ending rough sleeping across the country.
