Housebuilder provides breakfasts for homeless people in Swindon

PERSIMMON HOMES PRESS RELEASE

A charity that provides breakfasts to more than 400 homeless people in Swindon has been gifted £1,000 by Persimmon Homes.

Big Breakfast Plus, a registered charity that has provided a free cooked breakfast and a safe place for homeless people to access support since 1993, has been given a donation by the housing firm to help towards the cost of running the much-needed service.

The charity, which operates from St Luke’s church hall in central Swindon, works tirelessly to support homeless people and provides more than 7,000 breakfasts annually to those who are homeless, sofa surfing or are without cooking facilities or money to buy food. The group was awarded the money as part of Persimmon Homes’ Community Champions scheme. It is a national programme where clubs, groups and good causes can apply for funding up to the value of £1,000 to match the money they have already raised themselves.

Trustee Rosemary Curtis said:

“Swindon, like many areas of the UK, has its issues with homelessness.

“The need for our service is greater than ever, with the number of rough sleepers in Swindon increasing by 62 percent between 2016 and 2017 – more than four times the national average increase of 15 percent.

“We greatly appreciate the fact that, as well as building homes, you are taking the time to help people who are going through a difficult time in their lives and are without a roof over their heads. We rely solely on donations like this, as well as community fundraising. This donation from Persimmon Homes Wessex is a massive help to us and will pay our running costs for 2 weeks, that’s up to 270 individually ordered and served breakfasts”

Pauline Fletcher, sales and marketing director for Persimmon Homes Wessex, said:

“We’re delighted to help Big Breakfast Plus with this £1,000 donation. They do incredible work throughout Swindon and we wanted to help them out by making them our Community Champion.”

“They are vital to the county and it’s a privilege to support them.”

Persimmon Homes Wessex is currently building across the region, including its Badbury Park development, off Marlborough Road and St Andrew’s Ridge in Salzgitter Drive. The developments provide a range of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes. For more information, visit: www.persimmonhomes.com.

For more information about Community Champions, or to apply for funding, visit: www.persimmonhomes.com/charity.