New Wolverhampton project aims to give everyone a safe place to sleep

The Good Night Project is being launched across Wolverhampton as a way of combatting the situations some families have found themselves in since the start of the cost of living crisis.

The project is an initiative by Wolverhampton Council, with key partners Wolves Foundation and African Caribbean Community Initiative (ACCI) coming together with the council to provide a dedicated service to provide beds and bedding to those that need them.

Around 1,500 beds and bedding items have been given out over the last 12 months, with 60 per cent of these going to children, through applications to the Household Support Fund, the money being distributed by the Government through local authorities to help with the cost of living.

The council launched its Financial Wellbeing Strategy last summer with partners, in a one city approach to ensure those in poverty could still reach their full potential and build better lives not just for themselves now but for their families for generations to come.

The Good Night Project started on Monday with a three-day exhibition in the Civic Centre to shine a spotlight on the issue, with a double bed in the main entrance and information on how people can apply for help or get involved by donating.

The city council's cabinet member for education, skills and work, Councillor Chris Burden, was joined at the launch by homeless service providers from across the city and said the city was the first to talk about a bed poverty crisis and work to do something about it.

He said: "What we noticed when we launched the Household Support fund was that more and more people were coming to us asking for beds and bedding and that's when we realised there was a bed poverty crisis in the city.

"Every metropolitan borough is going through this and we're just the first to talk about it, and as we're the first, we can be the first to fix it.

"We're facilitating donations from the public of beds and the beds will go straight to the people who need them through the work of ACCI and the Wolves Foundation and, as a council, we can't fund this forever, so we can make it self-sufficient with our community partners."

The Wolves Foundation, one of the key partners and the official charity of Wolverhampton Wanderers, is helping to reach more people in need by referring individuals from across the city and administrating the project.

Its health and wellbeing manager, Rachel Smith, said: "It's a great initiative for us to be in partnership with the council and ACCI and to be able to diversify our food poverty programme and support the city in a different way is incredible for us.

"I think the main aim is to make sure that everyone has a safe space to sleep and it really is quite eye-opening when you read the stats around bed poverty, and children and adults not having somewhere safe to sleep at night.

"To be able to give these people the basic necessities is so important and I think this is a really true showcase of partnership working and how we're all pulling together to make this a success.

Alicia Spence, chief executive of the African Caribbean Community Initiative said: "ACCI as a charity has operated in Wolverhampton for over thirty years.

"ACCI’s involvement with the Good Night project came out of the Mi Friendly Cities initiative, which helped hundreds of vulnerable people set up a new home in Wolverhampton.

"We have worked with families and individuals that when we first met did not even have the basics, like somewhere to sit, sleep or even prepare a basic meal.

"The Household Support Fund has helped ACCI give people the essentials they need to improve their lives and build a more positive outlook for the future.

"At ACCI we believe we share a common humanity with everyone and as such our involvement with the Good Night Project helps us fulfil that goal by providing the opportunity to help people get a good night’s sleep.

"ACCI is looking forward to a positive future partnership with the City Council and the Wolves Foundation."