On Monday, Prince William launched his most ambitious campaign yet to combat the issue of homelessness.
The Prince of Wales has pledged to make a difference to the lives of millions of people affected by homelessness and will travel around Britain Monday and Tuesday to raise awareness about his new five-year campaign, Homewards.
William, who launched his new initiative in Lambeth, South London, has pledged £3 million from his and Princess Kate’s charity The Royal Foundation to address the issue which has always been a deeply personal one for him. He was just 11 years old when his mother Princess Diana took him to The Passage, a homeless shelter in London to meet homeless people and understand the issues affecting their lives.
In a speech delivered at the Mosaic Clubhouse in Lambeth Monday, the prince said his hope was to see homelessness decline in Britain over the next five years. “I am pleased to stand here today to officially at the start of our path to ending homelessness,” he said. “Over the next five years, I believe that we have a unique opportunity to develop innovative new solutions and scale tangible impact. This will inspire belief throughout the UK – and beyond – that homelessness can be ended for good.”
Founded in 1994, Mosaic Clubhouse in Lambeth supports people who are living with a mental health condition in the area. The prince is particularly keen to highlight – and break – the link between mental health and homelessness.
The Prince also spoke about the lasting impression the visits he made to homeless shelters as a young boy had on him. “My first visit to a homelessness shelter was when I was 11 with my mother. The visits we made left a deep and lasting impression. I met so many extraordinary people and listened to so many heart-breaking personal stories. Too many people have found themselves without a stable and permanent place to call home. Through these visits, I have seen first-hand the breadth and complexities of homelessness. A personal thank you to people such as Dave Wilson, who is here today and who gave me an induction in selling the Big Issue last summer.”
William has long been a passionate advocate for addressing homelessness in the UK. Fourteen years ago he slept on London’s streets to bring awareness to the issue and in recent weeks leading up to the launch of his campaign he has discussed the issue with leading politicians including Sir Keir Starmer and Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove. He also spoke to the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales to help make homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated.”
While the prince will avoid getting into any political issues, his advisers have pointed out that government involvement is necessary to ensure the housing is built to scale. William has also spoken about his desire to build social housing on the Duchy estate, the land he inherited from King Charles when he became Prince of Wales.
On Monday, he spoke about the opportunity to bring about change saying, “I know that great strides have been made, with success stories proving that progress is possible. Here in the UK, there is a strong tradition of collaboration between local authorities and the voluntary sector, and it is exciting to see social enterprises providing opportunities to people at risk of homelessness. I am also encouraged by international examples, like Finland, that have shown that deep collaboration across the public, private and third sector, backed by a long-term commitment, can put places on a path to ending homelessness. So, I am pleased to stand here today to officially at the start of our path to ending homelessness. Over the next five years, I believe that we have a unique opportunity to develop innovative new solutions and scale tangible impact. This will inspire belief throughout the UK – and beyond – that homelessness can be ended for good.”
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