Last year, we did one of the biggest pushes on fundraising we’ve ever done in our 25 years at Simon on the Streets. And you, our supporters, stepped up to the plate.
From creating your own fundraising ideas and supporting our events and corporate socials to donating directly to our appeals - every action, effort, and donation makes a big difference to a charity like ours.
So, where did your donations go during 2024?
We made contact with 508 people either rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness
Our work is rooted in outreach - trying to reach some of the hardest-to-reach people in Leeds and Bradford. But when so many people either facing or experiencing homelessness are hidden, offering support can be challenging.
Despite this, we still managed to make contact with over 500 people who were either already sleeping rough or at risk of becoming homeless.
We signposted 910 people to relevant services
We’ll always point people in the direction of help.
From GPs and housing associations to PAFRAS and St Anne’s Centre, we just want to make sure someone has the help and support they need, whether that’s ongoing with us or another local service.
466 people were accompanied to appointments
Just because we signpost someone to another service doesn’t mean our support ends there. We often accompany individuals to their ongoing appointments so they feel safe and supported.
When an individual has experienced homelessness, accessing the services they need can be difficult. This can be down to having no ID or permanent address or simply because that person has been let down so many times that they’ve lost the belief that they’ll be helped.
So much of our outreach work involves accompanying people to various appointments. In 2024, these included:
- 19 mental health appointments
- 110 GP appointments
- 46 drug and alcohol appointments
- 17 employment appointments
Whether the team are there as a silent support or to advocate on behalf of someone they’re working with, these appointments are often the first vital step to ending the cycle of homelessness.
78 people were supported into temporary accommodation
Our goal will always be to help someone achieve sustained and positive change; for many, this includes finding somewhere to call home. A stepping stone to this is often a temporary accommodation placement to get them off the streets.
Despite the enormous strain on local government funding for this type of accommodation, we were still able to help almost 80 individuals off the streets and into temporary housing.
21 people were supported into permanent accommodation
If you follow our journey as a charity, you’ll know how much time and dedicated support goes into helping someone to leave homelessness behind fully. To have helped over 20 people into permanent accommodation is something we’re hugely proud of. And the support doesn’t end there.
Many people who work with us stay in contact well after moving forward in their lives and are eager to share their experiences with others.
It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Our goal will always be to help someone regain their independence and identity away from their experiences when homeless.
We want to make 2025 the year that we make an even more significant difference in the lives of those facing homelessness in Leeds and Bradford. And whilst that includes celebrating our progress as a charity, it also involves reflecting on why our services are still badly needed.
If you’d like to get involved, please get in touch!