Homeless hub in Harborough could close if alternative funding not found

The team behind a homeless hub in Harborough is calling out for financial support after being faced with possible closure.

The Harborough Hub, which launched less than a year ago to support the homeless, could be forced to close if a new funding source is not found.

The hub is a National Lottery community funded project and collaboration between Falcon Support Services and Beacon Care, offering advice on issues, from tenancy support to mental health services for homeless people or people at risk of becoming homeless.

But now the centre, on Fairfield Road, is under threat since the Lottery could only continue to provide funding for two of five of the centres run by Falcon Support Services.

Head of community development, Sarah Whannel, said Falcon would still operate from there for its harm reduction and employability work, but could not offer support relating to homelessness, benefits, applications and registration forms.

She added: “We don’t have the funds to continue with a worker who specialises in this unfortunately. Although we are working in partnership with Beacon Care, I don’t believe they have the capacity to pick up the 200 people we have supported since opening.”

She said the cost of one full-time support worker was around £22,000 per year.

“Unfortunately we just don’t have those funds available,” she added.

Since the centre launched in May, it has supported around 160 people in nearly 700 visits. Areas of support also include food parcels, mental health, use of phone and internet, substance misuse, pre-evictions and cost-of-living.

Any organisation which may be able to help can email fundraising manager Lee Hardy.