Shadow Housing Minister visits Clapham hostel

29 October 2008

Grant Shapps, Shadow Housing Minister and Conservative MP for Welwyn and Hatfield recently visited St Mungo's Clapham Hostel as part of his work for the Conservative's Homelessness Foundation.

Grant Shapps commented

"I was extremely interested to see the sterling work being done by St Mungo's at their Clapham hostel. The assistance they give to hundreds of people both at this facility and across London is of incalculable value. I was very impressed to see the extensive range of facilities available to help people turn their lives around.

Grant ShappsThe Conservative Party are committed to addressing not only homelessness but its root causes in order to ensure that more people are able to get the homes that they need. We recognise that the chronic lack of homes is not the only problem faced by the homeless, but that there are deeper issues of support for the most vulnerable people in our society. In order to address homelessness we need to look beyond the cosmetic solutions to the fundamental causes of homelessness. By working on policy which seeks to draw together the experience of different groups who deal with the homeless.

We have enshrined our commitment to dealing with homelessness in the Conservative Homelessness Foundation, launched by David Cameron and myself earlier this year. We continue to work with organisations like St Mungo's to develop innovative and appropriate policy.

Having organisations of the calibre of St Mungo's on our panel ensures that we will be able to form the type of cutting edge policy which is needed. They provide a crucial part of our work on one of the most important issues for our society."

St Mungo's Chief Executive, Charles Fraser CBE added

"Our Clapham hostel offers residents the sustained and high level support they need to move away from the streets and on in their lives. By providing integrated support which helps meet their needs for housing, health and occupation, we ensure that they are building a strong foundation for their future. We are proud to be London's largest charity for homeless people and we look forward to working with the Conservatives' Homelessness Foundation in the future".

(ENDS)

NOTES TO EDITOR

  • For further information please contact Lucy Whitford on 020 8762 5645 lucy.whitford@mungos.org or Kimberley Rowley on 020 87625570 kimberley.rowley@mungos.org
  • St Mungo's is London's largest charity for homeless people. We work 365 days a year to provide emergency help, and run over 100 projects and services that house and support homeless people's recovery and prevent rough sleeping. Every year we help thousands of people to make permanent life changes.
    http://www.mungos.org/
  • The Homelessness Foundation provides research into homelessness; its causes, effects and its wider impact on society.

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