Innovative partnership supports homeless charity

The scheme, set up in partnership with Centrepoint, which works with vulnerable 16 to 25-year-olds in London and the north east, involves five other homeless charities spread across the country and means Amber, which has a centre at Ockley near Horsham, will now become one of Taylor Wimpey’s chosen charities for 2012.

Maria Pilfold, head of Taylor Wimpey’s charity committee, says: “We have worked with Centrepoint as our national charity partner for the past two years, and homelessness was a cause that our employees wanted us to continue to support.

“However, we were keen to look at ways in which we could widen that support to some of the local communities, such as those in the Southern Counties, where a number of our new developments are based. We decided on this innovative partnership idea and are delighted that Amber is a part of that.”

Amber works with homeless, unemployed young people between the ages of 17 and 30. The charity provides a residential programme of structured activites and 24 hour support to help individuals gain the educational, social, emotional and practical skills required to gain employment or a place at college and turn their lives around. Amber has three residential centres in Devon, Surrey and Wiltshire.

Charles Drew, chief executive at Amber, says: “Amber is very pleased to be associated with Taylor Wimpey and other charities working in the homelessness sector. We hope that the employees of Taylor Wimpey enjoy helping to support us as much as we will enjoy being associated with them.”

Taylor Wimpey will raise money for its charity partners throughout 2012 through public fundraising events, staff fundraising and corporate donations. Taylor Wimpey employees will also offer support through volunteering.

For further information on the work that Amber does visit www.amberweb.org or www.taylorwimpey.co.uk for details on Taylor Wimpey in the region.