A BOURNEMOUTH housing association has joined the national Homes for Cathy group to help highlight the continuing needs of homeless people in the run up to the 50th anniversary of Ken Loach’s seminal television drama.

The 1966 play Cathy Come Home tells the story of a young couple who, despite having a positive start to family life, experience a life of poverty and unemployment when husband Reg is injured and loses his job. They squat in empty houses and stay in homeless shelters and, eventually, Cathy has her children taken away by social services.

The play led to a public outcry about the problem of homelessness and the charity Crisis was formed the following year in 1967.

Although it was not connected to the programme, another charity for the homeless, Shelter, was launched a few days after the first broadcast.

Up and down the country, people came together to form housing associations in their communities, often in partnership with their local churches, to provide homes for rough sleepers.

The Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA) was set up in 1968 to help vulnerable people across the South West. Now, it has joined a number of housing associations across the UK to plan a series of events to mark 50 years since the first showing of Cathy Come Home.

Paul Tucker, campaigns manager at BCHA, said: “BCHA, like the other group members, was set up in the 1960s so we’re proud to be a member of the Homes for Cathy group to raise awareness of the continuing needs of homeless people.

“Unfortunately, 50 years on, the problem of homelessness has not gone away – in fact, it is getting much worse, and this simply has to change.”

The Homes for Cathy campaign was launched last month, and the group plans to work with the National Housing Federation and charities Shelter and Crisis, as well as with the Cardboard Citizens Theatre Workshop.

It will be organising a range of local and national events and initiatives in the run-up to November’s anniversary.

Paul added: “Martin Hancock, our CEO, has recently met with the Homes for Cathy group, and we are beginning to put plans together for some events and awareness-raising over the coming months.”