A homelessness charity was visited by the CEO of a major housing developer to reaffirm his commitment to supporting the local community.

Last year, Allison Homes donated £13,000 to the Ferry Project, a charity which helps provide emergency and long-term accommodation to those who are homeless or vulnerable people.

Allison Home’s CEO John Anderson visited the project to underscore the developer’s commitment to aiding the community, which is liked to its latest partnership development Whittlesey Green.

Ferry Project, an independent charity operating in Fenland since 1998, offers support by providing emergency and longer-term accommodation to those experiencing homelessness and vulnerability.

The charity reaches out to about 80% of Fenland's homeless community and has guided nearly 3,000 individuals toward independent living. 

Keith Smith, director of the Ferry Project said: “2023 was a transformative year for us, with huge steps made in our build and renovation projects.  Using the Allison Homes donation, we were able to transform our old commercial kitchen into a cookery school.

“The school will hold private courses and fund free classes for our clients and the vulnerable in our community, teaching them how to cook healthily and cost-effectively.   

“We plan to run classes and clubs which will bring groups together who may be lonely or struggling with mental or physical health issues.

He added: “Since we opened, 230 people have attended our workshops and cooker events. This year we will continue to deliver more of these activities and forge more links with community groups. 

Cambs Times: Keith Smith with John Anderson during the tour of Ferry Project’s refurbished community kitchen facility.Keith Smith with John Anderson during the tour of Ferry Project’s refurbished community kitchen facility. (Image: Allison Homes)

The donation marked the start of the Whittlesey Green development and developer’s strategic commitment to donating £100 for every new home contracted through a partnership scheme to a local charity. 

After a tour of the new community kitchen at the Ferry Project, in Wisbech, and learning more about the charity, John Anderson said: “It is very inspiring to see how our donation has been put into action at Ferry Project. Keith and his team are doing exceptional work to support the homeless community in this part of the country.

“This new community kitchen is just one of the progressive ways they are helping to empower and assist people in housing need. It’s a privilege to be able to support them with this donation.” 

He added: “We want to develop meaningful links with the communities that we build in, so it’s a pleasure to bring our ‘kindness’ value to life today by coming to see Ferry Project and supporting the community of Fenland. We look forward to continuing to support them alongside our partners Accent Group.” 

The Whittlesey Green development will provide 130 new affordable homes, as a mix of shared ownership or social rent. The new homes will form a community on the outskirts of the market town of Whittlesey, within easy reach of local facilities and Peterborough.