‘School for adulting’ gives young people essential furniture and ‘lifts weight off their shoulders’

The Bardsley Youth Project is just one of the organisations that will be eligible for funding as part of our On the Breadline Christmas Appeal in partnership with Comic Relief

Vulnerable young people without families are facing extra hardship during the cost of living crisis – often with little support.

But youth homelessness charity Bardsley Youth Project helps 18 to 25-year-olds who live in unstable accommodation and are forced to deal with homelessness.

The group seeks to empower youngsters to solve their problems through the provision of essential welfare items such as food and clothing and access to a furniture bank.

In the last year, it has seen the number of young people it supports soar by almost 75 per cent from 83 to 142.

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Project leader Simon Ree said: “Our young people are going to have to make choices between paying rent and putting food in their bellies.

“They’re not going to come to us until the bailiffs are at the door. I would predict we’re going to see many young people coming to us over bailiffs and more being taken to court over council tax bills as that’s usually the first bill that’s dropped.”

Simon Ree is project leader for the charity, which was earmarked as one of the organisations eligible for funding as part of our On the Breadline Christmas appeal (Thomas Kingsley)

Comparing the current situation to the pandemic, Mr Ree said the cost of living crisis felt like an “unknown”.

He said: “Covid was a known entity in the sense that we knew what the problem was so we could fight it and work around it. It was going to come and then it would go. But with the cost of living crisis, we don’t know how it’s going to go.”

The charity is one of the organisations that will be eligible for funding as part of our On the Breadline Christmas appeal in partnership with Comic Relief.

Mr Ree said a grant from The Independent’s initiative would allow the charity to extend its kitchen packs to help young people with essential appliances such as toasters, fridges and kettles.

One of the recipients of this support is Hannah, 22, who described Bardsley Youth Project as a “school for adulting” after she received help finding accommodation having fallen on hard times.

“They genuinely care,” she said. “I come to them at my lowest point when I won’t go to anyone else. This place feels like a safe house. I can be myself. I can just be crying and feel the warmth.”

(The Independent)

Mr Ree said that young people “grow six inches” when they receive the appliances and furniture for their new homes. “I wish I could record the look on a young person’s face when I hand them our kitchen pack.

“The weight that lifts off their shoulders – they grow six inches. Because of the funding we receive from the likes of grants from Comic Relief, we can buy it for them new. It’s a big moment. Some of these young people haven’t had a new thing in their lives.” The message is a powerful one – that they are worth it.

Our Christmas appeal in a nutshell

What is happening?

We have partnered with Comic Relief to launch On the Breadline, our cost of living Christmas appeal.

Where will the money go?

To organisations in London and across the UK working to help people on the breadline cope with the cost of living crisis.

How can you help?

To help children and communities most affected by the cost of living crisis, donate here.