This month we marked World Homeless Day (10th October) with the launch of our Winter Appeal, “Forever Homes.” We are calling on the public to help ‘stop the clock’ on the rising number of Darlington families facing homelessness and living in temporary accommodation, by offering secure safe, stable, long‑term homes.
To mark the start of the appeal, staff and volunteers from the 700 Club, alongside colleagues from Darlington Borough Council’s Housing Teams, hosted an awareness-raising stall under the Market Clock in Darlington town centre. This was one of a number of Darlington Borough Council’s landmark buildings being lit up in purple to show support. The event aimed to shine a light on the scale and reality of family homelessness locally, and how the community can get involved to create lasting change.
The Forever Homes appeal will raise vital funds and awareness over the winter months to help families move from crisis and temporary accommodation into safe, secure, and supported homes where they can rebuild their lives. Running until January, the appeal will feature a series of public engagement events and stories highlighting the difference that stable housing and person-centred support can make.
Yvonne Beattie, Chief Executive of the 700 Club, said:
“Every day, more families in Darlington are finding themselves without a permanent place to call home. Behind every statistic is a child trying to do their homework in a single room, a parent juggling bills and uncertainty, and a family desperate for stability. Through our ‘Forever Homes’ initiative, we want to give families not just a roof, but a future. This appeal is a call to the Darlington community to stand together, and stop the clock on family homelessness.”
700 Club has been supporting people facing homelessness in Darlington for 30 years, providing emergency accommodation, supported housing, outreach, and tenancy sustainment services.
The Forever Homes initiative focuses on creating long-term, affordable housing options paired with wraparound, person-centred support. The project offers families a home plus up to one year of tailored support, after which tenancies become permanent so families do not have to move again. The appeal highlights the urgent human and social cost of prolonged stays in temporary accommodation and the clear benefits of stable housing for children and parents.
I would like to encourage people to give and to support us however they can. Together we can make a real difference.
Members of the public can support the appeal by visiting www.700club.org.uk.
