Parliament has barely closed for recess but already a North Yorkshire MP has started a busy summer of constituency work.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon spent two days with the team at Harrogate Homeless Project (HHP) this week seeing first-hand the work they do supporting homeless people and rough sleepers. He got stuck in with shifts at the charity’s Bower Street hostel and their day centre – Springboard.
Tom also visited HHP’s new property in Starbeck. The property is being renovated but will shortly become a home for former rough sleepers who have recently got jobs and are saving for a place of their own. While there Tom took part in a community information campaign to update neighbours on the plans for the house.
This was followed by taking part in a client support session alongside one of HHP’s casework team.
The homeless charity also runs daily activities for clients. These activities include a weekly pool tournament which Tom bravely took part in after confessing that pool wasn’t a strong area for him.
The Springboard day centre provides hot food for clients and others at risk of homelessness from 9.30am to 1pm. Tom joined resident chef Sue and volunteers to helping prepare food and serve it to clients.
Chief Executive Richard Cooper commented:
It’s tough times for our clients at the moment. We want to do more but are often trying to do it against a backdrop of increasing costs. That is why the support of our local MP is so important. There is no better way to demonstrate that commitment than working with the team first-hand as Tom has done this week. It’s given the whole team and our clients a huge boost knowing that we have that active support.
After his busy couple of days Tom said: “Harrogate Homeless Project was one of the first charities I visited after I was elected to Parliament and it is great to have such a close and positive relationship with them.
Seeing how they deal with homelessness and the issues around it – addiction, poor mental and physical health, family breakdown, worklessness and much more – is inspiring. It is a charity that tries never to give up on someone particularly the most marginalised in society.
I have been a small part of that for a short time. It has brought home to me the challenges faced by charities in general but those dealing with rough sleeping in particular.
We should be judged as a community on how we help the least fortunate in it. That is why HHP’s work is so important and why their work should be supported.
