Contact Hostel passes 50 year mark of helping vulnerable young women in Manchester

Contact Hostel has been providing homeless young women with safe accommodation since the 1970s and this year celebrates its 50th anniversary.

It offers people practical support with things such as finding work, continue on with studies, emotional support and skills to help improve their future.

However, with the current pandemic charities like Contact are struggling due to lack of finical support and the inablity to put on fund-raising events with current social distance regulations.

Billie Colman Jones, Contact’s fundraiser co-ordinator, said: “With a large amount of funding being allocated to Covid-19 relief many small to mid-sized charities need to reach out to their local communities for support.

“Contact has been very fortunate with its supporters in its 50 years but the imposed restrictions we have been unable to fundraise through traditional methods, and income is predicted to be down by tens of thousands at FYE.

“We are aware the charitable landscape is changing and becoming much more collaborative. We are hoping for 2021 to partner with not only businesses but social groups and societies such as those offered at Manchester’s universities.”

With the pandemic many service users have felt the stress and anxiety of lockdown which Contact has been able to support them through.

One user said: “My mental health has gotten worse due to lockdown but contact are always there for support.”

Another added: “I moved into contact because my family relationships broke down during lockdown but have found support here.” 

Contact also provides service users with a hardship fund  which is crucial to financially support service users 

Bille said: “ The Hardship Fund meets the basic needs of our service users, making sure that Contact feels like a home and supportive unit rather than just a roof over their heads. This fund allows us to keep to our ethos of providing “all that any good parent would wish to provide.

“This can range from bus fares and phone credit to emergency food parcels and over the counter medicines. The knowledge that they can ask for these items and that these needs will be met, is sadly a new feeling to so many of our service users.”