Cheltenham YMCA played host to a very special royal visitor last week who officially opened an impressive new 73 bed housing facility in the town for young homeless people.
HRH The Princess Royal joined 200 guests as they toured the spacious, fully-furnished, state of the art accommodation units, all boasting en-suite bathrooms and Wi-Fi connections. Each resident also has full access to kitchen and laundry facilities, plus the extra bonus of off-site sports, health and fitness amenities.
During her visit The Princess Royal talked enthusiastically to a group of residents who shared their individual stories and aspirations for the future. The young people spoke about how YMCA had given then a second chance to transform their lives in a safe environment and where staff go the extra mile to encourage new experiences and fresh opportunities.
David Wallace, Chief Executive of Cheltenham YMCA, said: “This project is the culmination of a huge amount of work and prayer. To house and support 73 residents is affirmation enough and our challenge now is to make sure that there is additional move-on accommodation to provide independent living opportunities for as many of our residents as possible.”
Princess Anne concluded her visit by commending Cheltenham YMCA’s invaluable work before unveiling a commemorative plaque.
The £4.1million project, which opened its doors last year and already has a waiting list, was funded by a Homes and Communities Homelessness Change grant and a number of kind donations from trusts, major donors and generous supporters.