- £2m in addition to £4.5m already donated to tackle youth homelessness
- 30 new homes for young people in South East Manchester
- Work on a similar project in Coventry could begin this year
Coventry Building Society and The Co-operative Bank have announced a commitment of £2 million to help end youth homelessness in Coventry and Manchester. This significant donation is in addition to the existing contributions both organisations make towards supporting vulnerable young people.
The funds will support two leading youth homelessness charities, with £1m to Centrepoint and £1m to St Basils, to build genuinely affordable homes for young people who have faced homelessness. The combined donation comes just weeks after The Co-operative Bank became part of the Coventry Building Society family, creating one of the UK’s largest savings, mortgages and banking providers with around 4.5 million members and customers across the country.
The donation will fund Centrepoint’s Independent Living Programme, enabling the development of over 30 new homes in South East Manchester. This initiative offers young people stable, affordable housing while equipping them with the skills and support needed to live independently.
In Coventry, funds will support St Basils’ Live and Work Model, which combines high-quality, low-cost housing with employment support for 18-to-25-year-olds facing homelessness. The initiative empowers young people by providing a secure home alongside career opportunities, breaking the cycle of homelessness.
BBC Radio 1 presenter and Centrepoint ambassador Dean McCullough, who has experienced homelessness firsthand, is supporting the donation announcement, lending his voice to raise awareness of the urgent need for such initiatives.
Speaking at the National Youth Homelessness Conference in Coventry, Dean said: “As someone who has experienced homelessness at a young age as well as later in life, I know how vital and lifechanging a project like this can be. It’s fantastic to see that so many organisations are committed to tackling youth homelessness and ensuring more young people affected by it have access to the homes they deserve.”
Lucy Becque, Group Chief People Officer at Coventry Building Society, said: “Every young person deserves a safe place to call home and the chance to reach their full potential. By supporting Centrepoint and St Basils, we are investing in practical, long-term solutions that empower young people to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
“The Society and the Bank have already donated over £4.5m to Centrepoint and this additional £2m donation demonstrates our shared commitment to tackling youth homelessness head-on.”
Speaking about the Coventry project, Jean Templeton, Chief Executive at St Basils, said: “Jobs and Homes are critical protective factors. This donation will make a huge contribution to extending the Youth Housing offer in Coventry to enable young people, without family support, to have access to genuinely affordable accommodation which enables them to live and work, and save for their future. Working with Coventry City Council and regional partners, our ambition is to complete the scheme by the end of 2025. We are hugely grateful to Coventry Building Society and The Co-operative Bank for their commitment and contribution to ensuring that a home and a job will be possible for all young people in Coventry.”
The donation marks a significant step towards ensuring that young people in Coventry and Manchester have access to the support and resources they need to escape the cycle of homelessness. Both Coventry Building Society and The Co-operative Bank remain dedicated to making a lasting impact on the communities they serve.