Building Hope

Marie-Claire Delbrouque is the CEO of East Anglian homelessness charity Hopestead, which has just unveiled two new homes to alleviate homelessness in Ipswich. Here, Marie-Claire explains more

East Anglia homelessness charity Hopestead, in partnership with Emmaus, has today unveiled Hopestead Place, two modular homes to provide accommodation to alleviate homelessness in Ipswich. These homes were built by Cambridge charity New Meaning Foundation (NMF) using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to ensure efficiency and affordability.

Hopestead, part of Flagship Group, provided the funding for the construction and installation of these two modular homes, which are highly sustainable self-contained homes with a living area, kitchen, and bathroom. They were built at NMF’s factory workshop in Waterbeach, near Cambridge, before being transported to the site in Ipswich and installed ahead of today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony at Emmaus’ community café The Royal Oak in Ipswich. The launch of Hopestead Place also coincides with World Homeless Day.

Marie-Claire Delbrouque, Hopestead CEO, says: ‘One of our main initiatives is ‘Building Hope’; in essence the provision of bed spaces or additional homelessness accommodation in the East of England. This project with Emmaus and New Meaning Foundation is the very first project delivered under that initiative and it’s something we’re very proud to be a part of.

‘These homes provide an opportunity for someone to take that next step towards independent living but still with a level of support if they need it. And the impact that these homes will have for all of the Emmaus companions that will live at Hopestead Place over the next 60 or so years will be enormous. Everyone deserves a place to call home, and this is exactly the type of project that Hopestead wants to deliver.’

Claire Staddon, CEO of Emmaus Suffolk, said: ‘We showed Hopestead this derelict space and shared our aspirations to put modular accommodation on this site, but it was way out of our arena for funding and capacity. So Hopestead went and met with New Meaning, and the rest is history really!

‘They decided that it was very much in keeping with ending homelessness, and these modular units will be that final complement to someone’s full rehabilitation from experiencing homelessness all the way through to stabilising themselves in their own home, with the dignity of their own front door. We’ve got people from a full range of backgrounds, and all of them want to add to society so we’re simply giving them the tools to enable them to be successful.’

John Evans, CEO at New Meaning Foundation, says: ‘In addition to providing a house for someone who’s experienced homelessness, which is already a pretty positive impact, this has helped us with our aim to provide people with training and employment. We’ve had 66 trainees in the last three years building 20 micro-homes, many of whom come from backgrounds of no or low qualifications.

‘Of those 66, 36 are now in work and 12 are working full time with New Meaning and it’s the funding from Hopestead into this project that’s helped that happen. I’ve been amazed how it’s changed everyone’s ability, including in the young people we work with, and I’m also amazed at how the self-esteem has changed in the people that live in these houses.’

These new homes embody the vision of ending homelessness shared by the three organisations. Hopestead firmly believes that access to a safe place to call home is a basic human right, and by working with Emmaus and NMF this can be a reality for people in need in the local community.

Visit Hopestead and Flagship Group. Also, visit Emmaus, and New Meaning Foundation.