Housing Justice News Release 16 November 2007
For immediate release
Housing Justice welcomes London Councils’ decision to drop soup run ban
Christian homelessness charity Housing Justice today welcomed the announcement by London Councils that a ban on soup runs will not be included in the tenth London Local Authorities bill, finalised today.
The measure was opposed by soup run volunteers whose work would have been outlawed and their opposition was supported by community groups, churches and individuals concerned about the welfare of homeless people who in many cases would have been left without food. The charity felt that the measure was an ill conceived over-reaction to the situation and ignored the good progress being made by the Soup Run Forum.
Housing Justice Chief Executive Alison Gelder commented “Housing Justice wishes to thank all those who submitted responses to London Councils opposing this measure which we believe would have hit some of the most vulnerable people in London and outlawed our basic human response which is to help those in need.”
Chair of the Soup Run Forum Alastair Murray of Housing Justice added “Turning now to the future it would be good to have a dialogue with London Councils to discuss how soup runs can best work within the safety net of homelessness services to complement their outreach work. Soup runs are often in touch with the most vulnerable people at the margins of society. Soup runs are part of the solution to homelessness not part of the problem.”
Ends
Notes
The measure to ban soup runs was contained in the 10th London Local Authorities bill discussed by London Councils on Tuesday. London Councils is the umbrella organisation for the 32 London boroughs and the Corporation of London. Further details of the bill and London Councils’ decision are on the London Councils website at www.londoncouncils.gov.uk.
Housing Justice is responsible for convening the Soup Run Forum which brings together soup runs operating in London for regular meetings to promote good practice and coordinate services. It also provides a collective voice for soup runs. It has been in discussions with Westminster City Council officers about the value of soup runs.
Research carried out by the Soup Run Forum shows that there are 32 soup runs that operate through the week in five main locations in central London (four in Westminster: Lincolns Inn Fields, The Temple, Strand and Victoria and one in Lambeth: Waterloo).
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing.
Housing Justice was formed in April 2003 by the merger of two long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC). In January 2006 Housing Justice merged with UNLEASH (Church Action on Homelessness in London).
Housing Justice brings together more than 60 years experience of working for change in the field of housing.
Housing Justice provides frontline services to people in housing need and campaigns to improve housing policy.
In total Housing Justice is actively involved in more than 35 communities across England and Wales.
The Housing Justice CHAS network of 10 housing advice centres –in Bradford, Bristol, Croydon, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Kingston upon Thames, Leeds, Central London, Middlesbrough and Oswestry - provide practical support to people with housing and related problems.
Housing Justice UNLEASH works to support church-based housing and homelessness projects in London. It is responsible for coordinating the Soup Run Forum amongst other activities.
Housing Justice Regenerate, funded by the government's Community Empowerment Division, supports resident-led regeneration in 15 Guide Neighbourhoods across the UK. Regenerate brings together residents who have transformed their estates with those who want to embark on the regeneration process to share learning and offer support.
Housing Justice works with, and for, homeless and badly housed people of all faiths, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of religious beliefs.
Further information on Housing Justice is available at www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Luke Evans 020 7723 7273
Email info@housingjustice.org.uk