New summer-house for Sanctuary youngsters

On Wednesday, December 8, at Sanctuary Carr-Gomm’s premises in London Road, town mayor Jimmy Carroll and other VIP guests joined project manager Cathy Wilson and young residents to celebrate the opening of the new communal area.

It was built following a successful bid for a £4,600 grant from East Sussex’s YouthBank scheme, and now Sanctuary has itself pledged £4,000 to buy computers and internet access for installation in the summer-house.

The scheme has also benefited from the generosity of the Hastings Furniture Service, a local charity which receives unwanted items of furniture and sells them to people on a low income.

Cathy Wilson said: “Our young residents have an immense sense of pride in what they have achieved.

“They were involved in the whole process from start to finish, from writing the bid and choosing the timber to painting and decorating the summer-house.

“They are incredibly pleased with their new communal area and were thrilled to show it off to our guests.”

Sanctuary offers a unique, lifeline service to young people in East Sussex, providing accommodation and support services which help residents to develop the life skills and confidence they need to support themselves financially and emotionally in their own accommodation.

Tracey Johnson, YouthBank co-ordinator for East Sussex, said: “Getting young people to have a say in the way money is spent gives them a real stake in the project.

“The young people from Sanctuary put in a great application and obviously really care about this.”

The event was organised as part of South East Supported Housing Month, raising awareness of the work done by housing services to help vulnerable people and to enable them to enjoy independent and fulfilled lives.