- Birmingham-based developer St Joseph announces partnership with St Basils
- First event hosted by St Joseph raises £7,000 for the homelessness charity
Birmingham-based property developer St Joseph, part of the Berkeley Group, has announced a new partnership with homelessness charity St Basils.
To mark the start of this relationship, St Joseph hosted a quiz night at The Cube on Thursday 8 November. Attended by a host of stakeholders and members of the Birmingham business community, St Joseph raised £7,000, with all proceeds going to St Basils. St Joseph's partnership with St Basils will see it hold its own fundraising events, as well as support existing initiatives. Financial donations are vital for the charity as it continues to help 5,000 disadvantaged young people across the West Midlands by providing accommodation, employment training and other support services.
Between April 2017 and March 2018, St Basils helped to house 1,577 people. Its team works with both individuals and families to disrupt cycles of homelessness through mediation sessions and training programmes.
Berkeley Group's own charitable foundation, the Berkeley Foundation, will also benefit from the new partnership. All funds raised by Berkeley staff are matched by Berkeley Group, with the matched funds going to the Foundation to help support its wider charitable partnerships.
John Nicholas, Construction Director at St Joseph, said:
"St Basils is changing the lives of vulnerable people across the region. Through its services it is helping many escape life on the streets, providing access to the skills and support needed to lower the risk of returning to a homeless state. Since we arrived in Birmingham earlier this year, we have been assessing ways to support the local community. This partnership with St Basils provides us with an opportunity to make a difference and contribute towards a movement that is improving the living conditions of those less fortunate."
Barrie Hodge, Head of Fundraising at St Basils, said:
"We are overjoyed that St Joseph has chosen St Basils as its charity partner. The quiz night on Thursday was a spectacular success - thank you so much to St Joseph for organising it. The money raised will make a real difference to vulnerable people in the West Midlands and help us prevent more young people slipping through the net into a spiral of homelessness. We look forward to working closely with St Joseph in the future."
Members from St Joseph's staff will be taking part in this year's St Basils 'Big Brum Sleepout' on Friday 30 November.