The Berkeley Foundation has raised over £70,000 with its inaugural Big Berkeley Biathlon to support young people facing homelessness.
The three-day challenge brought together colleagues, partners and supporters to travel more than 240 kilometres from Birmingham to London.
Between 4 and 6 September, participants walked a marathon from St Basils’ Live & Work space in Birmingham to Leamington Spa, cycled 159km to Uxbridge, before completing a final marathon walk to finish at New Horizon Youth Centre in Camden.
The money raised will be shared equally between St Basils in Birmingham and New Horizon Youth Centre in London. Both are long-standing Berkeley Foundation charity partners that help young people move from crisis to stability and independence.
The challenge was designed to symbolically connect the two organisations and shine a spotlight on the growing issue of youth homelessness across the UK.
Piers Clanford, Chair of the Berkeley Foundation and Chief Operating Officer of Berkeley, commented: “As a business, creating homes is at the heart of what Berkeley does. Through the Berkeley Foundation, we extend that commitment beyond the homes we build, investing in organisations that help young people access the safety, stability and opportunities they need to build positive futures. We know that a safe home is about much more than four walls and a roof. It is the foundation from which young people can access education, employment, good health and independence.”
“We’re incredibly proud of our long-standing partnerships with St Basils in Birmingham and New Horizon Youth Centre in London, and I’m proud of the team for taking on this challenge in support of their work.”
The money raised through the challenge will go towards emergency accommodation, housing advice, life-skills programmes, employment support and practical assistance for young people rebuilding their lives.
Marsha McAdam, Chief Executive of St Basils, highlighted the impact the challenge will have for young people, commenting: “St Basils works with young people aged 16 to 25 who are at risk of homelessness or who have already found themselves without a safe place to live. Our goal is to help young people rebuild their confidence, develop new skills, find work, continue their education and, ultimately, create a future that’s full of opportunity.”
“The money raised through the Big Berkeley Biathlon will make a huge difference to both our causes, helping us prevent youth homelessness right here in the West Midlands.”
Berkeley says that the event reflects the Berkeley Foundation’s belief that every young person deserves a safe place to call home and the opportunity to reach their full potential.
