The Prince of Wales has expressed hope that his homelessness project will alleviate pressure on local councils during a visit to Sheffield on Tuesday. He toured housing initiatives to learn how the issue is being addressed in the city.
Joined by housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa, Prince William called for an end to the stigma of homelessness and urged private landlords and local authorities to take the problem seriously. The visit highlighted the Homewards initiative, a five-year scheme launched last year to tackle homelessness across six UK locations, including Sheffield.
During a discussion, the prince referenced his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, only once. When a participant mentioned the importance of children's early years, he smiled and said: 'We're venturing into my wife's territory here. She needs to be sat here to hear this.' Catherine has been recovering from abdominal surgery and is expected to return to public duties after Easter.
Prince William asked Ajman Ali, Sheffield City Council's executive director, whether Homewards had helped the local authority. 'I'm hoping that Homewards comes along [and can] lift that pressure off you, bring more people into the mix and allow you to then be able to plan and see something further down the line,' he said.
To coincide with the visit, DIY chain Homebase is donating 1,500 starter packs of furniture and paint to help families moving into new accommodation. Additionally, 33 three- and four-bedroom properties have been made available by local landlords for families on the brink of homelessness. The scale of the problem in Sheffield was highlighted by figures showing 4,000 people or families applied to be registered as homeless last year, the highest figure on record.
