Blues help to tackle rough sleeping

Margate Community Trust in partnership with the Thanet Rise Team and other partners launched a new project to tackle rough sleeping in Thanet on Friday 6th October at Hartsdown Park.

With support from the Margate Supporters Club and its mini-bus, rough sleepers were collected from four pick-up points in Thanet and brought back to Hartsdown Park.

Whilst at the club, service users had access to a hot shower, a hot meal, as well as health services on site including a nurse and the NHS Dental van. As well as these services, representatives from the Thanet Housing association were present, and the club will soon look forward to welcoming a representative from HSBC who will assist service users with setting up a no address bank account to help them access funds that they might be entitled to.

Service users also had the option to have all their clothes washed and dried, whilst also having an option to take new clothing from a clothes bank that was in operation on the day. Football sessions were also available for those that want to get some exercise.

For those that wanted to relax, they had access to a warm shelter where they could also converse with a mental health worker from the Head in the Game charity.

The Community Trust would like to thank Thanet District Council, Changing Minds Kent, Head in the Game and the Isthmian League Trident fund who have supported grants and services to ensure that this project will run every Friday at Hartsdown Park until the end of April 2024.

Community Trust Director Ryan Day has been overwhelmed by the start of the project, and recognises the impact it is having already.

“It has taken a lot of work from the club and the Trust to get this project off the ground. Only two weeks in and we are already seeing the impact it having on the local community.”

“One attendee on the first week said the best thing about the day was the chance to interact with other people. When you hear things like that it makes you aware of how much we all take life for granted, but also it is a huge indicator that this football club is having an incredible effect on its local community.”

Day continued: “It is easy to get caught up in the day to day running of a football club, but I firmly believe that projects like this show how much this club working hard to serve its community”.

For more information, email media@margate-fc.com

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