Centrepoint is a

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...

in the United Kingdom which provides accommodation and support to homeless people aged 16–25. The

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

has been a patron of the organization since 2005; his first patronage. His mother

Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

, was patron of the organization before she died. The charity's accommodation includes emergency nightshelters; short and long stay

hostel A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory, with shared use of a lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or shared b ...

s; specialist projects for care leavers, ex-offenders and young single parents; foyers and supported flats; and floating support services.

History

The charity was founded by the Anglo-Catholic socialist priest

Kenneth Leech Kenneth Leech (15 June 1939 – 12 September 2015), also known as Ken Leech, was an English Anglican priest and Christian socialist in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. Life and career Leech was born into a secular working-class family in Ashton-und ...

and set up its first shelter in a

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develop ...

church on 16 December 1969. It was named Centrepoint in response to the building

Centre Point Centre Point is a building in Central London, comprising a 34-storey tower; a 9-storey block to the east including shops, offices, retail units and maisonettes; and a linking block between the two at first-floor level. It occupies 101–103 ...

being seen as an "affront to the homeless" for being left empty to make money for the property developer. In 1986, a city broker, Richard Lester, on being asked for money for a cup of coffee by a homeless man, Martin Shaw, gave him £5,000. Shaw used this money to start Centrepoint's first dedicated hostel with over 100 beds. Centrepoint opened its first accommodation service outside London in

Consett Consett is a town in County Durham, England, about south-west of Newcastle upon Tyne. It had a population of 27,394 in 2001 and an estimate of 25,812 in 2019. History Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. Its' name originates in the ...

County Durham County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly �About North East E ...

, on 7 October 2005.

, was formerly Centrepoint's patron and its current

Patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

is her son, the

. Its ambassadors include the Radio 1 DJ

Sara Cox Sara Joanne Cyzer (née Cox; born 13 December 1974) is an English broadcaster. She presented ''Radio 1 Breakfast'' on BBC Radio 1 from 3 April 2000 until 19 December 2003. Since January 2019 she now hosts the BBC Radio 2 drivetime show, Monday ...

, the fashion model

Lady Kitty Spencer Lady Kitty Eleanor Lewis (née Spencer; born 28 December 1990) is a British model and aristocrat. She is the eldest child of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, niece of Diana, Princess of Wales and the first cousin of The Prince of Wales and ...

, the actress Lisa Maxwell, and the journalist and presenter

Kirsty Young Kirsty Jackson Young (born 23 November 1968) is a Scottish television and radio presenter. From 2006 to 2018 she was the main presenter of BBC Radio 4's ''Desert Island Discs''. She presented ''Crimewatch'' on BBC One from 2008 to 2015. Early ...

Activities

Through its accommodation, Centrepoint provides approximately 1,200 bed spaces nationwide. Additional support services include a skills and employability team and a mental health team. Specialists within the skills and employability team help support young people back into education, training or employment, and the teaching of life skills. Centrepoint also runs volunteering schemes, such as mentoring, which pairs a person with a young person for 12 months. It currently works with almost 100 mentors.

References

External links

Centrepoint
* Homelessness charities in the United Kingdom Charities based in London Homelessness in the United Kingdom 1969 establishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1969 British Royal Family charities {{charity-org-stub