Spotlight on SIFA Fireside

Tucked away in the back streets of Digbeth, Birmingham, SIFA Fireside is making a significant impact on the lives of those facing homelessness. Over the past few years, this committed organisation has transformed its services to better meet the needs of people experiencing rough sleeping and other forms of homelessness. From providing vital support like […]

Your Guide to the Household Support Fund in the West Midlands Combined Authority

What is the Household Support Fund (HSF)? The Household Support Fund (HSF) is a fantastic initiative aimed at helping people who are struggling with housing-related costs. Whether it’s rent, utility bills, or essential household items, the HSF is here to provide a helping hand. It’s managed by local councils within the West Midlands Combined Authority […]

Homeless Persons’ memorial event – Birmingham

Last week I had the privilege of attending an event held in the Birmingham Peace Gardens to remember those who had died whilst experiencing homelessness.  I joined around fifty people in the snow-scatter Peace Gardens to mark this first-of-its-kind memorial. Around me were friends and family of those who had died, lead workers, homelessness sector […]

A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out – Spotlight on Big Issue Birmingham and West Midlands

There cannot be many people in the UK who have never seen or heard of the Big Issue. Maybe you have seen one of the thousands of vendors selling the latest issue on high streets up and down the UK; maybe you have purchased one, or have a subscription.  Founded in 1991, the Big Issue […]

Vision Care  – Free Sight tests for adults experiencing homelessness in Birmingham 

by Eliz Hopkins, West Midlands Coordinator for Street Support Network It’s a Monday morning at the homelessness support centre, SIFA Fireside in Birmingham, where I have popped in to learn more about the partnership between SIFA Fireside and Vision Care for Homeless People.  The charity, SIFA Fireside, is the main homeless navigator service in Birmingham […]

Become a Home-2-Home Host with St Basils

Transform Lives:  Become a Home-2-Home Host with St Basils St Basils, a leading charity dedicated to reducing youth homelessness, is calling on individuals with a spare room and a caring heart to join our Home-2-Home Supported Lodgings scheme. This transformative program places young people aged 16-18 (occasionally older) who have experienced family breakdowns into the […]

Spotlight on Adavu

by Liisa Wiseman, Director Modern slavery and homelessness often go hand-in-hand, with homelessness frequently being a significant contributing factor to people becoming victims of trafficking, as well survivors being more at risk of ending up homeless. As the homelessness charity, The Passage, states  “We have found that homelessness is a common denominator in the issue […]

Postcards from the streets: the new campaign supporting Birmingham’s most vulnerable people

It’s a sad truth that while Christmas often inspires acts of kindness towards vulnerable people, the same cannot always be said for the months when the weather is warmer. But SIFA Fireside, the Birmingham support service for those experiencing homelessness, is making sure that the solution to this problem is in the post. They have […]

The Money House Case Study (Birmingham)

MyBnk are a UK charity that delivers expert-led financial education programmes for 5-25 year olds with schools and youth organisations in various locations across the UK including the West Midlands.  The transition into independent living can be an exciting but also daunting step. Young people go from having little to a lot of financial responsibilities […]

Stop Loan Sharks Week 2024

Have you ever heard of loan sharks or illegal money lending?  Being a victim of illegal money lending, such as borrowing from loan sharks, can put you at risk of homelessness.  When people struggle to repay the high interest rates and fees charged by loan sharks, they may find themselves trapped in a cycle of […]