Member of Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster Nickie Aiken today highlighted the work of Westminster charity The Passage in the House of Commons during a debate on Homelessness and Rough Sleepers.
Set up in 1980, The Passage runs the UK’s largest centre in Westminster for rough sleepers. The charity offers both immediate help and longer-term support for them. Nickie highlighted their work in the following exchange.
Nickie Aiken MP - "I commend the Minister for the outstanding work she is doing in her new portfolio. The Passage, a charity based in my constituency working with her Department on the Home for Good model, has seen many people being paired with a mentor in the community that they have been resettled in. That has had great success in sustaining tenancies and preventing a return to the streets. Does she agree that it is investment in these types of programmes for preventive work that makes lasting change in the lives of people coming off the streets and that it should continue to be supported?"
Kelly Tolhurst MP - "I thank my hon. Friend for the work that she has done in this area and the passion that she has in working with me and the Department to tackle this issue. She is absolutely right. It is so important that we are working with local authorities and that money is going to organisations to develop programmes to help with prevention, to deliver support and to provide the mentoring that is so valuable. It is all very well for me as a Minister to stand here today and say what we are doing, but people who have had real-life experience and understand what the reality is are able to impart that and then hold the hand of those individuals who are affected as they navigate the system. That is so invaluable."
Tackling rough sleeping is a top priority for Nickie. You can watch her exchange with the Minister above.
