Ritchie announces Christmas cheer of homeless people

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie announced £50,000 seasonal support for homeless people today.

The Minister presented the Department for Social Development’s traditional bonus to the Council for the Homeless for Northern Ireland at the newly completed Depaul Trust project at Cloverhill in Dunmurry.

The Minister said: “This is a particularly difficult time of year for those who find themselves homeless and I am pleased that again this year my department can make £50,000 available to provide for non housing items such as Christmas dinners and other things that we all take for granted and which make life more bearable.

“I have previously made it clear that I want to focus on the vulnerable members of our society and to do everything possible to ensure that they have the same opportunity as the rest of society. The work of the voluntary and community sector and the statutory bodies helps to ensure that this becomes a reality.

“I have been greatly impressed and encouraged by the willingness of all those involved in the housing field, both in the statutory bodies and voluntary organisations, to meet the challenges that continually arise. I am confident that this will continue in the future particularly in regard to homelessness.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Since Christmas 2000, around £350,000 has been made available for the homeless for non housing purposes. This has helped ensure that the homeless have been provided with Christmas dinners, personal hygiene products and clothing.
2. Many people who are homeless are vulnerable and have other underlying problems rather than simply not having a roof over their head.
3. The Council for the Homeless, founded in 1983, is an ‘umbrella’ organisation which provides support to around 80 voluntary bodies concerned with homelessness in Northern Ireland. Its voluntary members between them offer some 1500 accommodation places to homeless people throughout Northern Ireland and the Council, as well as providing training and other support services to these bodies, operates a lobby/pressure group on behalf of the homeless.
4. Depaul Trust was established in Dublin in 2002 and in Northern Ireland in 2005 and offers a range of accommodation, outreach and training education and employment services.
5. The Cloverhill project was completed in partnership with Depaul Trust and BIH Housing Association last month and will accommodate 18 families (up to 72 individuals). No families are actually in the accommodation yet.
6. Media queries to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9078. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.