HRH The Earl of Wessex visits Oxfordshire Homeless Movement

HRH The Earl of Wessex visited Oxford for a chance to see first-hand the innovative support for people experiencing homelessness in the city.  Met by Tim Stevenson, HRH was introduced to partners from the Oxford Homeless Movement (OHM) who shared how local organisations had worked together to provide accommodation and support for those who were sleeping rough in the city during the pandemic. 

HRH visited three organisations in the city that adapted their ways of working and were crucial in helping people come inside, in response to the Government’s “Everyone In” initiative.  HRH’s first stop was to a women’s supported house in Becket Street.  Owned by Nuffield College and loaned to Aspire for two years, the building has been revamped so that up to 30 women experiencing homelessness can live in it.  HRH was introduced to Jane Cranston DL, the Chair of Oxford Homeless Movement, OHM’s Project Manager, Yvonne Pinner and Paul Roberts, the CEO of Aspire.  Jane, Yvonne and Paul spoke to HRH about OHM and HRH was then shown around the building before meeting some of the current residents, who had the opportunity to talk to HRH about their involvement in furnishing the property and caring for the garden. 

HRH then moved on to Floyds Row, a central hub and shelter for people experiencing homelessness.  Run by St Mungo’s, the building had only been open for two months before the pandemic hit and was turned into a temporary triage centre as the residents could not isolate safely inside it.  This meant that the 25 people staying at Floyds Row had to be moved into emergency accommodation with very short notice.  Oxford City Council worked with hotels and colleges around the city to provide Covid-safe accommodation and Floyds Row continues to be an integral part of the recovery from the pandemic.  St Mungo’s, the council and other OHM partners are now focused on providing extra support and accommodation for those experiencing homelessness, with the aim of avoiding a return to rough sleeping. 

HRH’s last stop was to The Gatehouse, a drop-in day centre that has been operating for over 30 years and which is where OHM’s Lived Experience Advisory Forum (LEAF) is based.There, HRH learned how LEAF is sharing the lived experiences of those who are or who have been homeless as part of local authority consultations on planning and other decisions.