Birmingham

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 […]

St Basils Pop Up Shop Launches in Birmingham

Last month on 22 April 2024, the charity St Basils, which helps young people between 16 – 25 who are experiencing homelessness, opened its first-ever pop-up vintage shop in the Great Western Arcade, Birmingham, all thanks to a big donation from the Arcade itself. They are selling some cool vintage clothes, sports gear, and trainers. […]

Fairer Futures funds end of life training

Talking about end-of-life care with someone experiencing homelessness is important for several reasons.  Firstly, like anyone else, individuals experiencing homelessness have the right to make informed decisions about their end-of-life care, yet they might not have easy access to the information or support needed to make these decisions. By discussing end-of-life care, we ensure their […]

Can You Help Feed Birmingham?

By Alice Rosenthal Communications Officer The Active Wellbeing Society There has been a welcome move in recent years to combat food waste, and to make sure any leftovers go to feed bellies, not bins. This is something we are fully behind at the Active Wellbeing Society, we use surplus food in our cafes and our […]