RICS pledges support for £2m homelessness campaign
Fresh from announcing its move into Birmingham, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has announced plans to raise more than £2m to help tackle homelessness across the West Midlands.
As part of its 150th anniversary in 2018, the campaign – known as Pledge150 – will see RICS collaborate with property industry charity LandAid in the latter’s biggest ever fundraising campaign.
The campaign aims to raise £2.25m for the provision of 150 bed spaces across all 12 UK regions by December 2018, for young people at risk of homelessness.
RICS plans to raise funds at a variety of its annual events and through staff and partner university initiatives. Those working in the West Midlands’ land, property and construction sectors will be encouraged to join in with the challenge and think big, in terms of their fundraising activities and in helping to publicise the campaign.
Matthew Howell, RICS Regional Managing Director, UK & Ireland, said: “As part of our milestone birthday next year, we want to raise awareness of the vital role that chartered surveyors and other built environment professionals can play in solving youth homelessness across the region.
“As part of this, we will be encouraging all those who work in the built environment sector in the region, to pledge their support for our campaign, and help us deliver secure accommodation for young homeless people in and around the area. Youth homelessness is a problem that can be solved, and the property industry can, and should, lead the way in terms of helping to solve it in every way they can.”
As part of the RICS Pledge150 campaign, RICS is looking to those working in the West Midlands’ built environment to provide pro bono property advice to local charities supporting disadvantaged young people, families and communities, including those experiencing homelessness.
Paul Morrish, LandAid chief executive said: “Over the last five years we have raised over £7.5m to fund 100 exceptional accommodation projects for young people at risk of becoming homeless.
“But let’s not forget that at least 80,000 young people in the UK experience homelessness every year, and ‘homelessness’ doesn’t just mean sleeping on the streets, it can include those ‘sofa surfing’ or living in overcrowded and unsafe accommodation.
“So, we are delighted to be teaming up with RICS in what is the biggest ever single fundraising campaign in our history, to deliver a substantial number of homes for young homeless people across all 12 UK regions.”
All firms that make a corporate donation to the RICS’ Pledge150 campaign will be highlighted on the organisation’s online pledge wall and will have the opportunity to say what they are actively doing to help end youth homelessness.
