Riverside - “Secret Millionaire” joins forces with local homeless centre to launch new community facilities

22 April 2010

Secret Millionaire, Gary Eastwood, will be joining forces with a local homeless housing scheme to officially launch new training and IT facilities aimed at benefitting homeless residents, as well as the whole community. The Quays housing scheme, run by social landlord Riverside ECHG, will be welcoming the Secret Millionaire at the official opening of a raft of new facilities including a new Computer Suite, a new Consultation Room for use by agencies including NHS and Drug & Alcohol teams, and a new conservatory-reading room.

“Helping people break the cycle of homelessness is all about what support they have to develop skills, access training and grow in self confidence,” said Riverside ECHG’s manager at the Quays, Donna Lee.

“Because we are a big scheme that lies in the heart of our community we always look at how we can work with local agencies to benefit more people. So we’re absolutely delighted that Gary as a local Sittingbourne lad is supporting us to make a difference for local people also.”

Joining Riverside ECHG’s team on the day will be the retired Bishop of Durham the Rt. Revd. Michael Turnbull, who is a Patron of Church Housing Trust, the charity which raised £115,000 for the new facilities. Steve Holdsworth, Trust Fundraising Manager for Church Housing Trust, said: “We are delighted to have been able to raise funds for the new facilities at The Quays, where the staff do truly outstanding work to help the residents rebuild their lives.”

In addition, Canterbury College have also donated fifteen computers to the scheme along with IT tables and chairs. This will allow Riverside ECHG to offer full IT classes from the end of April.

Riverside ECHG’s Quays project is a national award-nominated 84 bed housing scheme working with single homeless and disadvantaged men and women aged between 16 to 64 years old. The scheme provides support for a diverse range of problems such as drug and alcohol misuse, mental health issues, unemployment, institutionalisation through long term prison sentences and many more.