A charity for vulnerable people is appealing for materials and volunteers to help complete a new shipping container community in Leeds.
Ex-convict, Haydn Jessop has turned his life around and is now dedicated to helping the homeless and vulnerable in Leeds.
Haydn set up a charity, Vulnerable Citizen Support, Leeds after a short stint in prison following getting involved with "the wrong crowd".
Since his release, Haydn has gone above and beyond to give back and provide support to the North's most vulnerable citizens.
In 2016, Haydn set up a soup kitchen for the homeless that he funded himself by running two jobs.
He was given a lifeline when a company, Servo Group, believed in his mission and invested in the company.
The determined welfare director now wants to help others turn their lives around in the same way he was helped.
Haydn's latest mission is to set up a new housing initiative to get the clinically vulnerable off the streets.
The new initiative will see a shipping container village built in Leeds, kitted out with at least ten containers including double bed, shower, toilet and sink.
As well as a communal kitchen on site for all to use. The self-sufficient village will be a lifeline for the cities most vulnerable homeless people with complex needs.
The charity aim to have 24 hour support workers on site and are currently head hunting for staff.
Haydn Jessop said: "This is about more than just getting people off the streets, it's about turning their lives around. We will help and support them with the right professionals every step of the way."
The determined ex-con aims to not only highlight a problem, but solve the problem. The charity are passionate about changing the perspective around homelessness.
Haydn said: "The disheartening bit about this project is that it is so time consuming and costly, each shipping container costs around £12-15k. We need the community to get behind us on this."
While there is currently a fundraiser in place to raise money for the housing for homeless intuitive, donations of material and time would be more effective.
Haydn is appealing for fixtures and fittings as well as tradesman to donate materials and labour for the containers.
Here is a full list of the materials needed and the cost:
- RDC Board - £67.00
- Internal Doors - £40.00
- Indoor light fittings - £30.00
- Skirting boards - £60.00
- Undercounter heaters - £110.00
- Kitchen sink and worktops - £200.00
- Wall heaters - £120.00
- Bathroom lights - £30.00
- Bedroom lights - £25.00
- 2 seater sofas - (in good condition)
Vulnerable Citizens Support are keen to get the council involved as well as other charities, companies and tradesmen and would be keen to speak to anyone who is willing to help.
The team are currently investing a lot of their own money and time into the project but hope that donations could speed up the time frame it takes to get the shipping containers completed.
A rise in demand has been seen this year with lockdown and whereas the team have been helping to get the needy in temporary accommodation, a long term solution is needed.
For more information on how you can help Haydn and the team, get in touch via the charities Facebook page, here.
