Broadland is a member of the Homes for Cathy Group, a national alliance of housing associations dedicated to raising awareness of the needs of homeless people. The Homes for Cathy group works with the National Housing Federation, Shelter, Crisis and other groups campaigning for homeless people.
Watch recordings of our Homes for Cathy Eastern Region workshops:
- Migrant homelessness
- Housing First – the principles, challenges and successes
- Housing First in Norfolk
- Skills for tenancy sustainment
- Homes for prison leavers
- Reframing homelessness
Broadland is working to meet 9 commitments for Homes for Cathy, which are helping to shape and develop our policies and practices on ending homelessness.
- 2021 – Building 6 new homes at Webster Court, Norwich.
- 2020 – Providing 6 homes in King’s Lynn as part of the Housing First initiative.
- 2019 – Sponsored Creative Matters – Living with Homelessness – a month-long creative arts programme in conjunction with the Theatre Royal Norwich.
- 2018 – Sponsored a performance of Priority Need, a new play by Cardboard Citizens, in the nave of Norwich Cathedral. Priority Need was a ‘sequel’ to Cathy Come Home, picking up on many of the issues around homelessness in a contemporary setting. The performance was part of a weekend of events to highlight local homelessness at Norwich Cathedral, including a sponsored sleepout in the cloisters, an address at Choral Matins by Michael Newey, and a film about the links between domestic violence and homelessness.
- 2016 – Homes for Cathy was formed in 2016 to mark the 50th anniversary of the influential Ken Loach film, Cathy Come Home. The film led to a public outcry about the problem of homelessness. Housing associations were formed up and down the country, initially run by volunteers. Many have since become large providers of badly-needed affordable homes. In November 2016, Broadland hosted a special screening of Cathy Come Home, followed by a panel debate chaired by The Rt. Rev. Graham James, the Bishop of Norwich, with local council and homelessness charity representatives.