Prince William's Homewards scheme to come to BCP area

The five-year project will initially focus on six locations – with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole named as one of them.

Here’s everything we know about the scheme and what it means for the conurbation.

What is Homewards?

Prince William has set his sights on making rough sleeping, sofa surfing and other forms of temporary accommodation a thing of the past as he tries to emulate Finland, where the problem has been virtually eradicated, with his initiative.

The five-year project will initially focus on six locations, to be announced during Monday and Tuesday, where local businesses, organisations and individuals will be encouraged to join forces and develop “bespoke” action plans to tackle homelessness with up to £500,000 in funding.

What has Prince William said about the project?

“In a modern and progressive society, everyone should have a safe and secure home, be treated with dignity and given the support they need.

“Through Homewards, I want to make this a reality and over the next five years, give people across the UK hope that homelessness can be prevented when we collaborate.”

Which other areas will be included?

The scheme was launched in the London borough of Lambeth on Monday by Prince William before he headed to Bournemouth. The third location is Newport in Wales.

More locations will be revealed on Tuesday.

What happened when Prince William visited Bournemouth?

HRH visited a community project at the Faithworks Arch Carpentry Workshop, part of the Homelessness Partnership BCP, at St John’s Church in Bournemouth town centre where he spoke with a number of woodwork trainees about this skills training scheme and their experiences of homelessness.

What does Homewards mean for BCP?

There are more than 40 organisations involved in the Homelessness Partnership BCP across the region including BCP Council, Faithworks Arch, BCHA, the YMCA, Shelter, St Mungo’s, NHS Dorset.

BCP Council said Homewards will build on this work by supporting the area to bring in new partners, from a variety of sectors as well as provide additional funding, capacity and research.

Cllr Vikki Slade, leader of BCP Council said: “It was fantastic having Prince William in town today visiting the amazing Faithworks Carpentry Workshop project and unveiling Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole as one of the six locations to be part of the Homewards campaign.

“His visit has really put the spotlight on the many different aspects of homelessness and the role we all play in reducing and eliminating it from people's lives. At BCP Council, alongside our partners, we understand the importance of having a coherent and compassionate policy on dealing with homelessness and its consequences.”

What has Faithworks said: 

Alistair Doxat Purser, Chief Executive of Faithworks and Chair of the Homelessness Partnership BCP Forum, said: “The extraordinary visit of Prince William and the support of the Royal Foundation feels like the best possible cheer-leading, effectively saying, let’s stand shoulder to shoulder with all these amazing partners in BCP who long to see an end to the causes and pain of homelessness in all its forms.”

What has BCHA said? 

Lorraine Mealings, chief executive of BCHA: said: "I am thrilled that Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, underpinned by the great work of the Homelessness Partnership BCP has been chosen as one of the areas for this programme.

“This represents a unique opportunity for us to further prevent homelessness across our area. We already have a strong multi-agency homelessness partnership in place which I know will be further strengthened with the support of Homewards and the Royal Foundation."