Ripon charity launches £40,000 appeal to help the city's homeless

Ripon YMCA is passionate about raising awareness of 'hidden homelessness' and widening people's perceptions of what homelessness is, highlighting that it is not just about visible homelessness - sleeping on the streets in shop doorways and sleeping bags, but also sleeping in tents, cars, sheds, and sofa surfing.

The charity has launched its House to Home Appeal to complete the refurbishment of number 4 Water Skellgate. The house owned by Ripon YMCA is having a complete makeover, including structural and damp proofing work to bring it back into use. Builders have been on site since October, and are continuing work on the property.

The house will become a shared property with rooms being let to individuals who have moved on from the YMCA hostel, or those who are in need locally.

The Chief Executive of Ripon YMCA, Lucy Gratton, said: “It’s great to see the transformation of the property from an empty damp shell to the home its becoming. We still have significant work to do as we are making sure the house meets all the various standards and requirements such as fire safety.

“With such a limited supply of one-bedroom and shared properties in Ripon, we find it challenging to move our tenants on. Given that we own the house it was clear that we had to bring it into the rental market to serve those who need this type of housing."

Over recent years, Ripon YMCA has raised funds to get the building works started. Now, another £40,000 is needed to finish the project. Already,£10,000 has been raised, and it is hoped that another £10,000 will be generated from the YMCA's Sleep Easy event in March, where Ripon residents and supporters will sleep out to raise vital funds and awareness.

Camp Hill Christmas Fair has also supported the project with a cheque for £7,000. The fair, which is run by the Camp Hill Estate, raises funds to support a variety of causes including Ripon YMCA.

This year's sleep out event takes place on March 28 at Ripon Workhouse Museum, with more than 20 participants signed up.

A previous participant said: "I thought my eyes were open but there's definitely nothing like direct experience of sleeping out for one night. I now feel I can legitimately highlight some of the issues homeless people face with others who perhaps see it as a black and white situation.

"I know I for one wouldn't last a week on the streets and would no doubt turn to whatever I could to numb the bitter cold, isolation, loneliness and fear in whatever form that numbing came in."

The food for this year's Sleep Easy participants will be provided by The Real Junk Food Project and Wholemeal Café in Ripon.