Not Just Providing a Roof Over People’s Heads

Robin Wynne-Hughes - Chairman

The very nature of our 24/7 work over two sites at the YMCA with so many things, big and small constantly happening, means that the Annual Report is somewhat of a snap-shot of what we were doing last year.

By the time we publish the Report many months will have passed and we will have moved on in our work and much more will have happened. But it is very important to annually draw this line and take stock. This year’s review of our four housing projects and the various associated schemes makes me feel proud to be part of such a successful team. A team which takes the time to be clear what it is trying to achieve, works out how it believes it can achieve it, and then goes out and succeeds. We are a small organisation but are clear that we should play our part in trying to address the causes of homelessness as well as providing for the immediate needs of homeless people.

To this end we aim to effectively support vulnerable people in our local community towards leading rewarding and independent lives. Whilst we have been successful again, we cannot be complacent and the Management Committee will continue to look at new ideas and developments to ensure our work is relevant and viable for the future.

This year I am pleased to welcome onto the Committee Nejim Alamin, Heather Girling and Giorgio Menin. I offer my thanks to my fellow Trustees and Committee members and to the staff for their support and hard work throughout 2007/ 2008. The end of one year marks the start of another and I look forward to being part of working on the challenges we have before us in 2008/ 2009.