Prince William has turned his hand to homemaking, carrying a dining room chair up three flights of stairs to help furnish a new flat for a housing association tenant in Aberdeen. The gesture marked the third anniversary of his five-year Homewards initiative, which aims to create a template to eradicate homelessness across the UK.
Homewards Progress and Impact
In a speech at London's Tate Modern, William detailed the progress since Homewards launched in 2023. He stated: "Three years on, Homewards has helped more than 73 people into stable housing, supported more than 250 people into employment and reached thousands before they reached crisis." He emphasised that these are not just statistics but people who now have a home, a job, and a future that looked very different only a few years ago.
The initiative works in six locations: Newport, Lambeth, Belfast, Aberdeen, Sheffield, and the three Dorset towns of Poole, Bournemouth, and Christchurch. Each area develops bespoke solutions to local homelessness issues.
Financial and Material Support
Over three years, Homewards has invested £1.9 million across its six locations. An additional £3.5 million has been raised through grants and private philanthropy, while £2.3 million worth of surplus goods have been used to furnish homes. The furniture in the Aberdeen flat was provided by organisations like Ikea, which also donated cleaning products, vacuum cleaners, and air fryers.
During his visit, William filled a bag-for-life with cleaning products for the new tenant, commenting: "All that makes them feel like it’s a home, not somewhere they’ve got to stay." When Helen Gauld, Langstane Housing Association's chief executive, mentioned air fryers, the prince joked: "Some of us don’t need hair dryers."
Broader Royal Activities
The event followed Princess Kate's completion of the Three Peaks Challenge over the weekend, raising money for a cancer charity. She also donated to an 11-year-old wheelchair user named Ted, whom she met while climbing Ben Nevis, leaving a message: "One of the real highlights of the Three Peaks Challenge was meeting inspiring people like you along the way."
