First LandAid Midlands 10K to provide home for 18 vulnerable young people

A 10km charity run aims to raise £30,000 to aid in renovating former nurses' housing in the grounds of Sandwell Hospital as affordable homes for young people.

The LandAid Midlands 10K sponsored by West Midlands-based regeneration developer St Modwen, takes place in Longbridge on September 13. LandAid, the property industry charity, aims to raise £30,000 from the event, which will go to local charity St Basils.

This will support the renovation of the empty, former nurses’ accommodation block in the grounds of Sandwell Hospital, West Bromwich. The building, part of St Basils’ Live and Work Scheme Accommodation, will provide genuinely affordable accommodation for young people. It will create 18 bed spaces arranged in nine flats for young people who are working or doing apprenticeships but are unable to afford local rents.

Victoria Smith, chair of the LandAid Midlands board said: “The inaugural LandAid Midlands 10K will be a very special event and we’re calling on as many runners as possible to take part in the race to end youth homelessness in the Midlands.

"LandAid has a proud track record of supporting youth homelessness projects across the Midlands, including St Basils, and the funds raised from this event will help us give more young people a safe place to live – a place to build a secure, successful future for themselves.

"I’m proud to see so many runners from fantastic companies sign up for this challenge, and I’m looking forward to joining them – and hopefully, you - on the starting line."

The LandAid-funded project will mean that young tenants can live without benefits and are able to save for their next step in life. The tenants will have access to St Basils development and support programmes. There are also on-site construction training opportunities during the renovation work for unemployed young people, with potential subsequent construction apprenticeships.

Jean Templeton, chief executive at St Basils said: “We are very grateful to LandAid for again providing us with the necessary funds to carry out the renovation needed at our latest Live and Work Scheme Accommodation. This renovation will impact young workers by giving them the opportunity to live in genuinely affordable accommodation while being able to save earnings for the next steps in their lives.”

The LandAid Midlands 10K will give runners the chance to race around the £1 billion redevelopment of Longbridge, which is being transformed into a vibrant new mixed-use community by St Modwen. Runners from companies including GVA, Knight Frank, BNP Paribas Real Estate, KPMG and Malcom Hollis have already signed up to compete and fundraise for LandAid.

Mark Allan, chief executive at St Modwen said: “We are proud to be hosting LandAid’s first 10K run in the Midlands. St Modwen is committed to creating places that instigate positive change to people’s futures, and therefore we are pleased that the funds raised through this event will deliver life changing services to young people facing homelessness not far from our redevelopment of Longbridge. As one of our flagship projects Longbridge very much reflects our approach to regeneration; it is the location of our Head Quarters, and offers the perfect setting for the 10K run. I look forward to participating in the event alongside colleagues, partners and clients in September.”