St Mungo's to bring empty homes back into use

09 March 2012

 

St Mungo's has been awarded £240,000 as part of a Government scheme to bring empty homes back into use.

This Empty Homes funding, administered by the Homes and Communities Agency, was announced by the Department for Communities and Local Government as part of a new £100 million capital funding programme.

P1010637St Mungo's will be renovating eight properties across London with some of the works to be carried out by the charity's painting and decorating social enterprise ReVive.

St Mungo's Executive Director of Operations, Mike McCall said: "With homelessness rising, it is vital every effort is made to bring empty property back into use. It will be a win-win for local communities and homeless people."

ReVive offers homeless men and women who have completed St Mungo's painting and decorating programme experience working on real jobs in a work based environment.

Alpheous Little, St Mungo's Training and Enterprise Manager, said: "We are delighted to be working on these renovations. Since ReVive started in 2009 the team has completed 17 different contracts and is helping many of our clients to gain valuable on the job training, work experience and new skills. Most importantly, it is helping them grow in confidence and self esteem. Many ReVive clients have gone on to work full time."

St Mungo's runs over 100 projects across London and the South, providing accommodation and much more for over 1,700 people every night of the year. From emergency support off the streets to semi-independent housing and move on guidance, employment opportunities, training and health support, the charity helps thousands of people to make permanent life changes every year. 

Notes

  • For more information contact Gemma Hollingshead on 020 8762 5570 or email gemma.hollingshead@mungos.org
  • The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is the single, national housing and regeneration delivery agency for England. Our vision is to create opportunity for people to live in homes they can afford in places they want to live, by enabling local authorities and communities to deliver the ambition they have for their own areas.
  • ReVive, together with the painting and decorating course is one of 13 vocational schemes run by St Mungo's including Putting Down Roots gardening training, Bricks and Mortar bricklaying and plastering, experience in a wood workshop, and learning sound recording techniques in a hostel-based recording studio. These run alongside literacy, numeracy and educational courses run with a range of local colleges and FE organisations.

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