Cat Eccles MP has visited YMCA Living Springs to hear first hand about the amazing work they are doing support families and their children through providing safe, affordable, supportive housing.
During the visit, Cat met with Steve Bavington, Chief Executive of YMCA Black Country Group, as well as Sally Cowan, Chief Officer for Places at YMCA Black Country Group and Anna, CEO of Living Springs to discuss the organisation’s work supporting people into safe, affordable accommodation and helping them build independent lives.
Cat also learned more about the vital support YMCA Living Springs provides to some of the area’s most vulnerable families and young people. The service offers safe, supported accommodation for young people with additional support needs, parents who are pregnant or have young children, people experiencing mental ill health, those fleeing domestic abuse, and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Alongside providing a secure place to live, the team helps residents build confidence, develop practical life skills and access the support they need to create stable, independent futures for themselves and their children.
Cat Eccles MP said: “Everyone deserves the chance to have a safe, secure place to call home. It was a real pleasure to visit YMCA Living Springs and see the incredible work they do to support people across our community.
The staff’s commitment to helping people build brighter futures is inspiring. From providing safe accommodation to supporting people into education, employment and independent living, the YMCA is making a genuine difference to lives across Stourbridge.
Access to affordable housing remains one of the biggest challenges facing people today, and I will continue working with organisations like the YMCA to ensure these voices are heard and that we deliver the homes and support people need.”
Steve Bavington, Chief Executive of YMCA Black Country Group, said: “We were delighted to welcome Cat Eccles to Living Springs and share the difference this development is making for young families across Dudley. Every family deserves a safe and secure place to call home, and Living Springs provides much more than a roof overhead; it creates a supportive environment where families can heal, children can grow and look to the future with confidence. As part of YMCA’s wider commitment to tackling housing shortages, developments like this help demonstrate how high-quality, affordable housing can transform lives and contribute towards the YMCA England & Wales vision of creating 10,000 new homes for the next generation.”
The visit formed part of Cat Eccles MP’s ongoing engagement with local charities and community organisations working to tackle homelessness, improve opportunities for young people and strengthen communities across Stourbridge, Brierley Hill and Netherton.
