Ballyclare housebuilding firm donates £30,000 to homeless charity for purchase of new ‘Street Outreach Vehicle’

The Ballyclare-based firm made the donation to the Belfast homelessness charity to purchase a vehicle that will support its outreach service every day of the year.

The Welcome Organisation provides a range of potentially life-saving services to around 1,200 people affected by homelessness across greater Belfast every year.

It adopts a non-judgemental approach to addressing homelessness issues based on the principles of harm reduction delivered through low-threshold services.

It offers its services via a range of outlets including a drop-in centre, street outreach service, crisis accommodation for women, floating support service and its furniture project, Welcome Home.

The coronavirus pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for the charity, but they have adapted those services to meet those challenges and their services team have remained on the frontline.

The new vehicle will further strengthen its invaluable street outreach offering and allow workers at the charity to engage with those sleeping rough, of which there was some 4,508 incidences this time last year in Belfast.

Sandra Moore MBE, Chief Executive, The Welcome Organisation said: “The outreach vehicle will be providing potentially life-saving support on the streets of Belfast 17 hours a day, 7am to 2am, 365 days a year.

“The outreach service works in tandem with our other services and it is the support of individuals and firms like Hagan Homes that allows us to continue to offer this vital social service and never give up on the people who need us most. The support of firms like Hagan Homes makes a real and positive difference to our work and in turn to the lives of the people we help.”

Founder and chairman at Hagan Homes, James Hagan, added: “The Welcome Organisation, through a truly selfless philanthropic approach, sensitively and admirably supports those who have found themselves sleeping rough. Its work is truly admirable and like many charities during this global pandemic, it is facing a challenge to continue delivering that role.

“Home is at the heart of what Hagan Homes is all about but not just in the bricks and mortar sense. As a company we strive to make a social difference to communities and to the people of Northern Ireland and it was with great satisfaction that we could contribute to the work of the Welcome Organisation, which offers a lifeline to those in need.”

Hagan Home’s contribution to the Welcome Organisation follows on from an £80,000 donation it made to Age NI and Cash for Kids (both received £40,000) in March at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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