Gordons pledges support to Yorkshire homelessness charity Simon on the Streets

Monday 20th June 2016

Gordons has named Yorkshire-based charity Simon on the Streets as its chosen charity partner and will support it with a full programme of fundraising activities for the next year.

Simon on the Streets is an independent charity offering emotional and practical support on an outreach basis to rough sleepers or those at risk of rough sleeping.  The charity works with those who have unmet complex needs and cannot or will not access mainstream services offering them unlimited opportunities to achieve a positive change.

The charity intentionally remains independent of statutory funding to allow it to work without restrictions and to deliver tailor-made support on an individual basis, which makes fundraising and corporate partnerships vitally important to its work.  Simon on the Streets currently supports around 100 people across the Yorkshire region through projects in Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield, and estimates that it costs over £2,200 per year to provide intensive support for one service user.

Simon on the Streets’ Ed Gallagher, general manager, said: “We are a charity working predominantly with those who are outside of the mainstream system, who often have complex ongoing needs and we rely almost entirely on fundraising and donations.  Support from firms like Gordons allows us to provide everything from a cup of coffee and a much-needed chat with a service user to being there for our users should they be hospitalised or suffer a serious incident such as an assault.”

Commenting on the partnership, Gordons’ Victoria Davey said: “Simon on the Streets is an excellent charity doing vital work for rootless and homeless people across West Yorkshire.  It’s a cause that many people at Gordons feel strongly about and we are looking forward to helping Simon on the Streets continue its good work”.

Over the past five years Gordons has raised more than £100,000 for its chosen charities including £10,000 for its charity partner Willow Young Carers Service in 2015.