Rochdale homelessness charity urges community to support ‘Season of Sharing’ appeal

Petrus Community has launched its new ‘Season of Sharing’ appeal to raise vital funds for its homelessness services this winter.

Having supported people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness in Rochdale, Burnley and Oldham for more than 50 years, the charity is bracing itself for another winter working with increasing numbers of local people who find themselves facing tough times.

Making a donation will help Petrus provide a wide range of support services to keep people safe and warm throughout the colder months. The ‘Season of Sharing’ appeal also invites people to buy a Christmas gift for someone using the charity’s services from their Amazon Gift List.

Charity director, Sonia Denham said: “Surviving winter without somewhere to call home is challenging and isolating.

“By making a donation or buying a gift for someone who uses our services, you’re helping us to make them feel seen and valued, which can have a huge impact in helping someone start to rebuild their confidence and recover from homelessness.”

People can also donate store cupboard staples such as tinned goods, pasta or toiletries to the charity, dropping them of at Petrus’ Hub for people experiencing homelessness or at Pionero Lounge in Rochdale town centre.

Someone who knows all too well the value of Petrus’ support in winter, is Jenny. She first came to the charity’s hub in January 2023, having been put at risk of homelessness by her landlord.

Jenny said, “I was working as a carer for the elderly, but I hurt my back and fell behind on the bills. The landlord wanted to sell my place, and suddenly, I was facing homelessness.”

Jenny went to live in one of the charity’s supported housing schemes for women, which she has just recently moved out of to take on her own tenancy once more. She continued: “It’s hard for homeless people at Christmas time. Lots of them have no family to call, no Christmas dinner to go to and they’re out in the cold. This year, I’ll be hosting Christmas in my flat with my daughter, and hopefully my son too! I’m so grateful to Petrus for giving me a second chance and helping me get to this point.”

Open Monday to Friday, Petrus’ Hub provides hot breakfasts, drinks, showering facilities, toiletries, sanitary products, laundry facilities and access to clean clothes, all completely free of charge for homeless people. The Hub is also a place where people can access support such as welfare advice, employability skills, and food parcels.

Louise Brett, service manager at the hub said: “The need for our services is high. Last year our hub received almost 6,500 visits between October and December, serving over 4,000 hot meals and providing close to 500 food parcels for homeless and vulnerable people.

"Unfortunately, homelessness continues to rise so we expect to be supporting even more people this winter. We can’t do this without support from the local community.”

Over the last decade, the number of people sleeping rough has more than doubled, rising 26% in the latest figures. Over the last year there has been a 10% increase in households contacting their local authority after being threatened with homelessness or losing their home. Of these 358,370 households, 91% were assessed as homeless.

Off the back of these figures, the charity expects to be working through one of their busiest winters yet, as more people face their first winter without a home.