Porchlight (charity)

This #WorldHomelessDay, Porchlight turns 50. It's a big milestone but we're not celebrating. Not while the average age of death for people who are sleeping rough is 45 for men and just 43 for women. Instead, we're taking to the streets of Kent to highlight this uncomfortable truth. We're pitching tents that display powerful messages about people who are homeless being unlikely to reach their 50th birthday. Look out for us in Whitefriars Canterbury today and tomorrow. We'll also be in Rochester, Ashford, Margate, Folkestone, Tunbridge Wells, Faversham and Canterbury again in the coming weeks. Everybody deserves to celebrate their 50th birthday. And until they can, we won’t celebrate ours. Please add your name and help us spread the word: https://lnkd.in/emUYV6zj Together, we must continue fighting for a future where no more lives are endangered by homelessness.

We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of The Very Reverend Dr. Robert Willis, former Dean of Canterbury Cathedral and a devoted patron of Porchlight until 2022. Dean Robert was unwavering in his commitment to our mission, generously offering his time, hospitality, and knowledge to support our work. During the pandemic, he reached people worldwide through his "Garden Congregation" services, which he broadcast daily from the Deanery Garden. Through his kindness and vision, he brought awareness to homelessness and inspired generous international support for Porchlight. Our thoughts are with his partner, Fletcher Banner, who shared Dean Robert's dedication to our cause. Dean Robert’s legacy will remain a cherished part of Porchlight’s history, and he will be deeply missed.

Join #TeamPorchlight and be a part of something incredible From conquering a half marathon to a thrilling Skydive, we've got something for everyone. Your support will make a life-saving difference to those experiencing homelessness, poverty, and ill health. Don't miss out on the chance to have fun and make a real impact. Spaces are limited, so act fast and register now: https://lnkd.in/eKUX_w5K

A huge thank you to the amazing Barretts Kent 💜

Today, we brought our 50th-anniversary installation to @folkestoneharbour. Although we're marking 50 years of service, we’re not celebrating. Not while the average age of death for people living on the streets remains just 45 for men and 43 for women. Until they can reach their 50th birthdays, we won’t celebrate ours. If you’re near Folkestone Harbour Arm today, stop by to see us and add your name to support our campaign. https://lnkd.in/eD8qwyJX #porchlightis50

Today in windy Margate, we continued our journey across the county, sharing why, instead of celebrating our 50th anniversary, we’re taking to the streets of Kent to raise awareness of the deadly realities of homelessness. It is so great to have the support of our fantastic volunteers, to help us raise awareness with their unwavering passion and commitment to what we do, it makes such a difference! Thank you! #volunteers #volunteering #charity #Porchlight

I have been pretty quiet on here for a while now, just rechanging and refocussing... but Modern slavery week runs from 14th to 20th October and we have taken the opportunity to reflect on some of the cases we have encountered here at Porchlight (charity) and tried to help over the time we have implemented support for front-line staff on this subject.   We had a client aged 19 who was targeted due to being neuro-diverse by a county line gang. they were groomed and cuckooed, they tried to report this to the police which led to serious violence that caused them to run away and rough sleep as this was felt better than the alternative. We were able to help get them into temporary accommodation and successfully referred them to the NRM (National Referral Mechanism) where they were supported for their previous traumas. We have since helped a client obtain funding for an electrician course and they are back in education and thriving.    We have had sexually exploitative cases of both men and women.  One case came about from attending the Exploitation/modern slavery training and discussing the case. A young male who was being supported in accommodation was being groomed online by people who were working in the trusted sector which is why he trusted them but they abused that position.  He was under a substance misuse organisation and due to being groomed he didn’t want to speak up as there was a stigma around the situation. He was being sexually abused and exploited by several males and he didn’t feel he could communicate this to other professionals. As a result of his drug levels increasing this led to him being restricted in seeing his son. They were not aware of the full situation. We were able to help restore that side of his life to normal. He was referred to Family Matters for talking therapies but did not wish to engage in supporting criminal action against the individuals but the information was passed on in an anonymous format to help police take some form of action.   We have lots of cases as I reflect on them all:- even domestic servitude (live-in servants) forced marriage, lots of cases that get entangled with Domestic abuse cases also, criminal exploitation- county lines along with multiple forms of labour exploitation across many working sectors. This sadly is not going anywhere but we are doing great work spotting cases and usually, we have a significant impact on the situation of the client I'm proud to be associated with the ongoing work we are doing which would not be possible without the front line staff identifying, reaching out and talking about cases. Looking forward to getting back into training people next week and going again! #Exploitation #Modernslavery #supplychains #humantrafficking #escalation #safeguarding #NRM #Countylines #duediligence #consultancy #humanrights #workersvoice #workersrights #risk #CCE #disclosure #assessment  #action #victimsvoice #homelessness #CPD #awareness #vulnerablity #Domesticabuse

🟣 VCSE Symposium on tackling inequalities in the South East 🟣 14 November, Ashford Int’l Hotel 🟣 25 delegate places remaining 🟣 Email getinvolved@porchlight.org.uk to reserve your place (free) 🟣 With over 100 local leaders and policy makers attending from the voluntary, community, health and social care sectors, local government and education - this is a valuable opportunity to tackle the biggest challenges we face together as we work to deliver fairer, more sustainable services. Poverty, health and housing inequality are complex problems affecting millions of lives. They are also avoidable; but each local care landscape faces distinct challenges in tackling these issues, whether that's due to the physical setting or social context we are working in. On 14 November 2024, at the Ashford International Hotel we will be bringing together key stakeholders from voluntary and community health, housing and care services in Kent and the South East. We will look at ways we can work more closely together as a sector, to improve our collective understanding of the issues people face and find sustainable solutions which improve lives. Working together, we can encourage innovation, share insight and best practice, and strengthen our networks to shape a health, housing and care system that's better and fairer for everyone. Conference programme and more information: https://lnkd.in/eDdFuEsJ Hosted by Porchlight (charity) and Social Enterprise Kent Supported by Thanet Earth, Barretts Kent, Leverets - Barristers and Solicitors, Fitzgerald Jewellers, and Savills as part of Porchlight’s 50th anniversary year.

Today in windy Margate, we continued our journey across the county, sharing why, instead of celebrating our 50th anniversary, we’re taking to the streets of Kent to raise awareness of the deadly realities of homelessness. The public response has been incredible. People have stopped to read the messages on our tents, taken photos, and asked about Porchlight - our history, the work we do and ways to get involved. We’ll be back in Margate tomorrow and in Folkestone on Friday. If you see us, do come and say hi - we’re a friendly bunch!