Representatives from a housing association in Cardiff recently took part in an overnight sleep out to raise money for Llamau – a charity that supports homeless young people and women without a place to live.
Twelve colleagues at Canton based Taff Housing, on Cowbridge Road East, slept in the car park of the office for the evening to help raise awareness of homelessness across the city.
Recent data from Cardiff Council in April 2023 reported that the number of rough sleepers had reached its highest since 2020, with many people living in their cars whilst trying to work due to a combination of low income, rising bills and lack of suitable financial support.
Helen White, Chief Executive Officer at Taff Housing, who also participated in the sleep out, said:
"The numbers of people at risk of homelessness across Cardiff is at an all-time high, and as a social housing and support provider, we aim to do everything we can to help prevent that from happening.
"The idea of the sleep out is to help raise money for charity, but also raise awareness of the challenges being faced by many people across the city. Amid a cost-of-living crisis, we need to support people on how to juggle their finances to keep food on the table and have a warm place to sleep. This should be everyone's right, not a privilege."
Taff Housing owns and manages 1,500 properties across Cardiff including several supported housing projects, which provide good quality and a safe setting for people who have found themselves homeless.
The projects help prepare the residents for independent living by providing them with support and guidance, as well as the opportunity to learn new skills and build their confidence to move on successfully.
For more information about Taff Housing, visit www.taffhousing.co.uk
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