Our History

The Early Years of Bolton Young Persons’ Housing Scheme

Shortly after coming to Bolton in 1988, I attended a Church Action on Poverty (CAP) meeting at St. George’s Church and was asked to represent CAP on a newly established homeless forum. On attending the Forum, in the Town Hall, it became obvious that Bolton had problems with homelessness, but that a lot of people wanted something done about it. I was encouraged to take an active part and was told that, because I was retired, I could get away with saying things to councillors that others could not!

Many on the Forum worked in the lower ranks of local government in Bolton, attended in their lunch break and were fighting hard within their hierarchy to improve things. I admired them for this and so was happy to support their efforts by, for example, signing letters to MPs. Luckily the then Chair of Housing was among a number of councillors ready to help. The latest Government scheme is called “Supporting People”. How things have changed!

A Forum member reported that the police had brought a lad to him because he had collapsed in the street, and had been without food or shelter for four days. The Forum members realised that this lad was too proud to beg and too honest to steal and that we had to help young people like this. A public meeting was held and Bolton Young Persons’ Housing Scheme (BYPHS) came into being in June 1992.

In the early years we had very limited funding and if it had not been for gifts of money from the churches and local people, the charity would not have survived. We employed one worker and obtained one house from the Irwell Valley Housing Association for two people. We appealed for gifts of furniture and other household items, hired a van and collected the items that varied from the brand new to the really old. We also cleaned the house ready for use. The idea was to take homeless youngsters from aged sixteen to twenty-five, give them support, then help them move on to independent living. It was never easy and has become harder over the years.

Over the years we have been granted more government funding, employed more staff and obtained more houses. We now have bed spaces for twenty-five residents. Our Office in Blackburn Road provides a “drop-in” three days a week where residents and ex-residents can learn computer skills and cooking, take part in self-esteem courses and chat with each other. The “drop-in” is important because most of the young people are now in single flats and often feel lonely.

We are involved in re-settlement and at the last count we still have contact with forty-five ex-residents. BYPHS now employs five full time and three part-time staff, plus volunteers.

We have constantly to comply with more rules, regulations and targets. For example, no longer are we allowed to use second-hand sofas and chairs because of fire regulations. With the present climate of legal action if things go wrong, we have to take great care to protect ourselves and those we employ. Despite our successes, the need for the scheme is sadly as great as ever. The one factor that has not changed is the commitment of those involved. From the start we have had good chairs, treasurers, committee members, hard working staff and volunteers. The faces have changed but the interest in our monthly meetings has been at the same constant high level.

Thanks are due to the churches, the public and all who have supported us in various ways over the years. Please keep it up; we still need you.

Charles Mills