On Friday, James Wild MP met with Paula Hall, Chief Executive of The Purfleet Trust, as well as the Chairman, members of the Rotary Club, and volunteers, to see their latest project, Pathways based at North Lynn Industrial Estate.
The Pathways Project will aim to provide the opportunity for homeless and vulnerable people to learn and develop new practical skills for the world of work including CV writing.
During the visit, James was shown the dedicated furniture upcycle section of the warehouse, which will provide clients with their first furniture for their new accommodation. The Purfleet Trust project - House to Home - is based on the connection between clients being more likely to stay in accommodation permanently if it is furnished and the importance of turning a house into a home. By learning a skills - Learn to Own - the project is expected to help people move into employment.
Following the visit, James said: “The Purfleet Trust has an impressive record of helping to support people out of homelessness in West Norfolk over many years. This new Pathways project is an exciting development which take practical action to turn a house into a home which is important in changing people’s outlook. By combining this with the opportunity to learn and develop skills to move into a job it is a win win.”
His visit came as the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government is providing £200 million additional funding to help tackle rough-sleeping. King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council will receive £273,521.
This funding is one part of an unprecedented £750 million investment this year to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping - part of this Government’s drive to end rough sleeping by 2024.
James said: “I am pleased the West Norfolk will benefit from further funding to help support projects and services to tackle rough-sleeping. There’s more to do to meet our goal of ending rough-sleeping in this Parliament and I’ll continue to work with the borough council and local charities in support.”
Since being elected James has worked closely to support The Purfleet Trust’s work. As a member of the Public Accounts Committee in January, James led the questioning of the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government on the government’s efforts to tackle rough sleeping during Covid-19. During his questions, James referred to the work of The Purfleet Trust and focused on the importance of wraparound support for vulnerable people to help them stay in accommodation.
Speaking after the visit, Paula Hall, Chief Executive said: "We were very grateful to James for coming to visit our new Pathways Project. In his time as our MP James has shown continuing support to us here at Purfleet Trust, he has raised awareness of the situations of vulnerable people in West Norfolk in Parliament and is helping to build a stronger community for us all.
The Purfleet Pathways project will enable us to work with even more people to show them there is a brighter future for them and they can access this with the support of our team and through the training and work experience offered at the Pathways Project.
Helping people who have experienced homelessness to gain skills and move forwards towards employment has always been central to what we do and we believe that getting in to work is fundamental to supporting people to rebuild their lives. The Pathways Project will offer a wide range of skills and employment support tailored to the individual, we concentrate not only on helping clients find employment but also on building stamina, confidence and independence.
We have close links with partners in the local business community who may support us with work placements and interview skills sessions and we are always looking for more partners to work with locally. If you would like to know more about the project or have a business locally and would like to partner with us then please contact [email protected]"
