Firm’s pledge is grand gesture
ARECRUITMENT firm pledged their support to get homeless people off the street for Christmas with a £1,000 donation to The Real Change Rochdale.
Recruitment Solutions, based on Church Stile, are now encouraging other local businesses to do the same.
They hope to support the charity with getting people back into employment throughout the relationship.
Real Change was set up in late 2015 in the backdrop of Manchester’s Big Change initiative and has so far raised over £200,000 of funding to help end homelessness in the Rochdale region.
On supporting the initiative, Karen Reynolds, Managing Director at Recruitment Solutions, said: “We’ve been based in Rochdale for the past 15 years and we’re extremely proud of our community links, so supporting Real Change was something we felt we had to do.
“We’re seeing a rejuvenation in the region at the moment, but one thing that needs an added push from businesses and individuals is the fight on sleeping rough.
“Homelessness affects everything from social issues to employment, so it’s a natural cause for us to support.
“The work that Real Change having been doing is invaluable so we want to spread the word about it and encourage other businesses and individuals in our region to pledge their support however they can to help tackle homelessness in our community.”
The initiative has raised the vital cash by reaching out to both businesses and the public in the local area, with the cash paying for practical items individuals need to build lives away from the streets.
This can include anything from items involved in everyday life, such as household appliances all the way up to a deposit for a house, to getting people back into employment through training courses or clothes for a job interview.
John Wigley of The Real Change Rochdale added that the main underlying reason for homelessness was a breakdown in a relationship.
He said: “Unfortunately, this can happen to any one of us at any time. The Real Change initiative provides partners across the Borough of Rochdale with instant access to a pot of money that can be used either to relieve or prevent homelessness. It cuts out all the red tape and allows the partnership to provide a response straight away.”