Local charity supporting homeless families receives over £11,000

We’ve offered a helping hand to local charity, The Gingerbread Centre by donating £11,110 to help support local families in need.

Based around four miles from our Blythe Fields development, The Gingerbread Centre provides essential 24-hour supported accommodation to homeless families from across Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area. The charity’s services also extend to include single parents and teenagers with children.

With the help of the donation, the charity plans to refurbish the communal lounge within one of its accommodation centres, Rothesay Court. This lounge currently acts as a safe space for residents to meet, socialise and engage in various activities run by the charity. However, over the years the room has suffered some wear and tear and would benefit from a refresh to provide the residents with an improved living space to promote a better sense of wellbeing.

The donation will fund a complete revamp throughout the space, including repairing the damaged wall caused by damp conditions and upgrading the lighting to energy-efficient alternatives, helping to create a welcoming and comfortable environment. A brand-new shutter system will also be installed on the kitchen hatch and all new wood-effect flooring will be fitted, as well as a complete interior redecoration, with new curtains and furniture.

Steph Hughes, Service Manager at The Gingerbread Centre, said:

“We are extremely grateful to St. Modwen Homes and the generous donation made to our centre. The work we do has proved vital for so many vulnerable families, so to have the opportunity to refurbish our communal lounge at Rothesay Court really will make such a big difference. Donations made by businesses, such as St. Modwen Homes, are so important in allowing us to provide a safe space for those that need it – so we truly can’t thank them enough for showing us such kindness.”

The charity has two accommodation centres, Rothesay Court & Catherine Court.

Rothesay Court provides accommodation for up to 22 families, single mums, dads, pregnant women, and couples with children. The block consists of a range of flats that provide safe spaces for families of different sizes. Alongside this, Catherine Court includes self-contained properties with 24-hour supported accommodation for pregnant females and young parents aged 16-19 years old.

In addition to providing accommodation for vulnerable families, The Gingerbread Centre also offers tailor-made support packages for parents. This includes development plans and support for life skills, positive parenting, budgeting, managing a tenancy, education, and independent living skills. This practical support helps to ensure families are more prepared when leaving the accommodation.

James Mulcahy, Regional Managing Director for the North at St. Modwen Homes, said:

“We are proud to have provided support for such an outstanding charity, with a team that works tirelessly to give hope and support to vulnerable families. We take great pride in extending a helping hand to the communities we’re situated in, and when we heard about The Gingerbread Centre, we really wanted to help. We hope our donation makes a difference to the residents living at Rothesay Court and helps the charity to continue providing life changing services and accommodation for those in need.”

To get in touch with The Gingerbread Centre, please email Chris.Belyavin@gingerbreadcentre.co.uk or call 07889565265