People who are sleeping rough are being given toiletry and food packs at homeless drop-ins and on morning outreach across the North-East, thanks to a partnership between two local charities Oasis Community Housing and Feeding Families.

Oasis Community Housing’s Project Team Leader, Stuart Dawson, explains, “The packs we give out at our drop-ins contain food that takes little or no preparation – such as energy bars, biscuits, peperamis, and chewing gum to let people freshen their breath.

“There’s toothpaste, shower gel and other toiletries that we give out too, for people to use in our drop-in showers or elsewhere.”

“Since starting our partnership with Feeding Families, the packs are there, ready to go; they immediately make people feel ‘seen’ and valued. On a practical level, it gets food into people’s bellies too. It’s been so beneficial to the people we support.”

Nutrition is a big challenge for people experiencing homelessness, with a third saying that on average they eat only one  meal a day.

In the past 12 months, Feeding Families has distributed over 46,000 packs to Oasis Community Housing, other charity partners and individuals across the region. This was a 100% increase on the previous year. 

Feeding Families’ CEO, Juliet Sanders, said, “We are delighted to support Oasis Community Housing – and over 300 other charities in the North East. By partnering together we can give people more of what they need.

“Food is such a basic need that we have to start there before we can put in other interventions. The rough sleeper packs came about through conversations with Oasis Community Housing where we listened to their expertise, which guided the content of the packs. While it’s so sad these are needed it’s so satisfying that we can give a little dignity and kindness to those in desperate need.”

Oasis Community Housing is also using the Feeding Families packs as ‘welcome packs’ for people moving off the street and into the charity’s Basis Beds flats.

The homeless charity always work with the people they support to source furniture, through donations or small grants, to ensure a place feels more like a home upon move-in.

The new welcome packs are helping people settle in, with groceries such as cereal, longlife milk and tinned fruit as well as cleaning products and other household essentials.

Last year, Oasis Community Housing supported more than 1,300 men, women and young families facing homelessness through their drop-ins, and supported flats and houses.

Find out how you can get involved in making a difference for someone facing homelessness >>>

North East coffee company Durham Coffee Roasters have chosen to support local homelessness charity Oasis Community Housing for their newest charity coffee partnership.

The father and daughter team of Carina and Benhard are dedicated to creating high quality coffee in the heart of County Durham and have a positive impact on their community whilst doing it.

The limited-edition charity coffee, which is a single origin bean from a family run farm in Rwanda showcasing notes of sweet vanilla and raisin with a hint of orange blossom, highlights a different coffee to their core offering.

Carina, Director at Durham Coffee Roasters, explained: ‘We may only be a small business, but giving back to our community where possible has always been important to us. Our charity coffees allow us to do just that; we release an exciting new limited-edition coffee, and 20% of each bag sold gets donated to a charity supporting our local community.’

Past charity collaborations have seen Durham Coffee Roasters raise donations for County Durham Community Foundation, Durham Food Bank and St. Cuthberts Hospice.

The team at local homelessness charity Oasis Community Housing were thrilled to be chosen for their newest charity roast. Sarah Lister, self-proclaimed coffee lover and Chief Operating Officer at Oasis Community Housing, loved the taste and the care behind it.

‘At our drop-ins solving homelessness starts over a cuppa. It’s the first thing we offer when weary souls come through our doors. We feel incredibly blessed to be chosen by Durham Coffee Roasters for their charity roast. And what a great tasting roast it is!

What more fitting way to raise money to give to our charity, and for the people coming through our doors, giving them hope and a path away from homelessness. Thank you to Durham Coffee Roasters and a huge thank you to every kind and thoughtful person who chooses to buy one of their charity bags of coffee.’

A loving approach to coffee

Carina and Bernhard are committed to an ethical and environmentally conscious approach to making delicious coffee. Their coffee is speciality graded and sourced from a sustainable supply chain which can be traced back directly to the farm. Suppliers work in close partnership with the farmers to ensure highest quality, sustainability and fair prices. This leads to long-term relationships helping coffee farmers to build sustainable businesses.

One of the first to pioneer new and unique technology in the UK, Durham Coffee Roasters freshly hand roast 60kg of green beans in small batches on their 12kg Air Motion Roaster which creates an exceptional and pure tasting coffee. The proess is also better for the environment, showing the duo’s commitment to sustainability at every stage.

Joanne Armstrong, Community Fundraising Manager at Oasis Community Housing, was lucky enough to visit the roastery and try the freshly roasted beans.

‘It was wonderful meeting Carina and hearing about the care that goes into something we can all take for granted. Alongside her father Bernhard she has created a business that oozes commitment and thoughtfulness.

‘The coffee was of course gorgeous, made even more so by the love that has gone into every stage. From sourcing beans that supports the farming families and eco system, to roasting in an environmentally friendly and considered way, and making a difference to small charities in the community.

‘We can’t wait to see it on the shelves and are so thankful to be chosen as the newest charity partner’.

You can buy the Oasis Community Housing and Durham Coffee Roasters bag here and find out more about their ethos and products here.

The North East offices of Reed in Partnership have taken part in a variety of fundraising activities and collection drives to buy and subsequently donate clothes and essential items to support people facing homelessness.

Clothes bought and donated by Reed in Partnership’s Gateshead, North Tyneside, Ashington and Peterlee offices have been delivered to Oasis Community Housing’s Basis homeless drop-in centres in Gateshead and Sunderland.

Efforts to support from across the region

Part of The Reed Group, created with the purpose of ‘improving lives through work’, Reed in Partnership provide a variety of services for people to access support with employability, health, rehabilitation and more. As an organisation their mission is to positively transform people and their communities.

The company’s Gateshead office held a charity bake sale to raise funds to buy essentials like toothpaste, sanitary products, hats, gloves and men’s underwear. In Peterlee, the office bought new men’s underwear after fundraising efforts.

The North Tyneside and Ashington offices used their monthly ‘motivational money,’ to buy new clothes to donate. Reed in Partnership reward their teams with ‘motivational money’ to buy things like a special breakfast or an item for the team’s use, such as an air fryer or a coffee machine. North Tyneside and Ashington offices chose to donate their August ‘motivational money’ to Oasis Community Housing.

Anna Warner, Partnership Manager at Reed in Partnership, explained why they chose to support people facing homelessness in the region: ‘We support Participants on the Restart Scheme, to get back into employment and lead happy lives.

‘Homelessness is a complex issue that can arise from various factors such as a relationship breakdown, losing a job or a mental health condition. One small change in a person’s financial situation could result in them losing their home or being evicted. Supporting people who are homeless is the right thing to do.’

Hazel Ditchburn, Corporate Relationship Manager at Oasis Community Housing, explained the importance of relationships like these: ‘Motivated by a visit to our homelessness drop-in and mother and baby project Anna was really keen to see what she could do to help.’

‘She quickly set to work rallying colleagues across the North East Reed in Partnership branches to fundraise and pull together this wonderful collection. It was such a lovely surprise to see and hear about everything they have been doing over the last few months, and even better to see the reaction of our frontline teams when we handed over the donations of clothing, toiletries and shopping vouchers.

‘Massive thank you to Anna and the team for making such a huge difference to our work.’

Why clothes donations are important

Our Crisis service is an integral component in our holistic approach to tackling homelessness. A key area of this service are our Basis homeless drop-in centres in Gateshead and Sunderland.

People who access our Basis homeless drop-in centres can receive support and guidance for housing, budgeting, benefit advice and more. Basis also provides facilities to do laundry, have a warm drink and pick out new clothes from our stock of clothes amongst other immediate support.

People experiencing homelessness, especially those who are sleeping rough, often have limited access to clean clothes. Which means being able to provide the people who access our Basis drop-in service in Gateshead and Sunderland is an essential service we provide in our drop-ins.

Find out more about our Crisis service >>>

Approved Mortgage Solutions has announced a partnership with North East homelessness charity Oasis Community Housing by offering zero brokers fees for Oasis Community Housing supporters, with £25 from each completed mortgage also being donated to the charity that supports people facing homelessness in the region.

An extension of a friendship

Based in the North East Business & Innovation Centre in Sunderland, Approved Mortgage Solutions provide independent insurance advice including, buildings and contents, life insurance, critical illness protection and income protection, as well as mortgage advice.

It’s not the first time the independent mortgage broker has supported the homelessness charity. At Oasis Community Housing’s Oasis Cup football tournament last September they raised £766 through a just giving page in addition to their entry fee.

More recently, Approved Mortgage Solutions also arranged for the donation of 10 mobile phones to be dropped off at the charity’s Sunderland Basis homeless drop-in. The mobile phones donated are for people facing homelessness so they can keep up with appointments and be in touch with their support network.

A local business with local ties

Owner of Approved Mortgage Solutions, Paul Hampton, commented on the partnership:  “At Approved Mortgage Solutions we help people get the best mortgage so that they can secure and enjoy their dream homes. Not everybody is fortunate enough to be in the position of our clients.

“Of all the noble charities we could have supported we feel that Oasis Community Housing helps homeless people in a way most other homeless charities don’t. They don’t just provide food and a warm drink; they provide a route and support to help homeless people get back on track by doing the more practical things such as arranging and attending meetings with housing officers etc.

“Our partnership with Oasis Community Housing means a lot to us because most of our clients and all of our staff are based in the North East, and Oasis Community Housing help mostly local people just like our clients but a little less fortunate.”

The importance of partnerships

Oasis Community Housing’s Corporate Relationship Manager, Hazel Ditchburn, says the North East homelessness charity are delighted with the partnership:  “We are so chuffed to be working in partnership with Approved Mortgage Solutions. Their passionate and supportive team are going above and beyond to support the North East homeless community in the same way they go the extra mile for their clients.

“With mortgage rates starting to gradually decline there is no better time to make the most of this generous offer and benefit from their expertise.

“Our corporate partners mean so much to us, we simply wouldn’t be able to continue to do what we do without businesses like Approved Mortgage Solutions journeying with us to continue to bring hope to those facing homelessness in our region.”

In the past year, thanks to support from businesses such as Approved Mortgage Solutions, Oasis Community Housing has been able to support more than 1300 people who are facing homelessness across Gateshead, Sunderland, Southwark and most recently in Peterborough. This new partnership will help to strengthen the bond between the North East homelessness charity and the independent mortgage broker.

To benefit from the offer from Approved Mortgage Solutions contact info@approvedmortgagesolutions.co.uk or call 0191 516 6894 and quote ‘Oasis Community Housing’.

Housing Employment Network North East (HENNE) has revealed new branding to reflect its ongoing commitment to improving employment outcomes for people living in social and supported housing across the region.

The North East employment partnership created by a group of thirteen regional housing providers, to deliver a coordinated strategic approach to employability, is excited to announce the launch of its all-new branding.

Partnership across the North East

The network is a partnership between Tyne Housing, Gentoo Group, North Star Housing, Your Homes Newcastle, Johnnie Johnson Housing, Karbon Homes, Home Group, Livin Housing, Bernicia Homes, believe housing, Beyond Housing, Oasis Community Housing and Thirteen Group. As a collective they have more than 190,000 homes across the north east.

Steve McKinlay, chair of Housing Employment Network North East (HENNE)’s Board and chief executive of Tyne Housing, said: “I am delighted to announce the launch of the HENNE brand. We have worked together to develop a brand which is bright, bold and reflects our commitment to our tenants and residents to deliver positive change under the banner of employability.

“Increasing employment support and opportunities for people in social housing is a necessity to help individuals within our communities realise their potential. By working as a collective with our partners, supply chain and employers, and building on relationships with key stakeholders across the region, we can make a real difference and identify opportunities for the future.”

Karen Kenmare, chair of HENNE’s operations group and head of business growth at Thirteen Group, said: “HENNE is an extremely important network that provides access to valuable opportunities for tenants, residents, and communities.

“We understand that employability is a journey and one that’s different for everyone, which is why at HENNE we are passionate about a person-centred holistic, end-to-end approach to employability, whether that be helping to boost someone’s confidence and develop soft skills or being the link between an individual and potential employer.”

Addressing key challenges

A recent report by the Institute for Employment Studies and the Learning and Work Institute for Employment, commissioned by Communities that Work, the National Housing Federation and National Federation of ALMOs, about how social housing can support skills, talent and workforce development, revealed that 40% of social housing tenants are economically inactive, compared with around 20% of those in other tenures.

HENNE aims to play a key role in addressing these challenges, by supporting tenants and residents with direct access to the local labour market and engaging with those who are economically inactive to help support and explore how they can prepare for, find, and secure quality jobs.

Karen added: “Our network is unique in that we have direct relationships with individuals who are often not in contact with mainstream or statutory services. We work in the heart of communities where levelling up needs to happen, and with the right funding and support, we can make a real social and economic impact in the communities we serve.”

To find out more about HENNE and its impact across the region, visit  https://www.linkedin.com/company/henne-partnership/ or contact Ellie Patience, Business Development Manager for HENNE at ellie.patience@tynegroup.org.uk.