Helping homeless here and overseas

Homeless people in Birmingham will soon be putting down new roots – learning gardening skills while growing vegetables and salad thanks to a new project by city-based charity Reconnected.

The charity is transforming a back yard at its headquarters into an urban green space for its users to enjoy.

Reconnected, which has a residential hub in Lower Essex Street, was launched by property specialist Centrick nine years ago. It provides 18 high-quality self-contained rooms that provide privacy and encourage responsibility and independence.

Shane Bland, director of Centrick and Virtu Property, and a trustee of Reconnected, said: “This is a very exciting and rewarding project which will transform what is currently an underused outdoor area into a green oasis in the city centre.

“Our team will be creating a green space where homeless people using our facilities will be able to learn gardening skills and gain satisfaction from seeing the plants and vegetables grow.”

Centrick has also pledged to support dozens of families who are struggling to survive in freezing conditions after losing their homes in the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria.

The company is backing Oxfam’s appeal following the disaster and is aiming to provide shelter for at least 40 families by donating a proportion of its income from property sales and lettings nationally.

Centrick founder James Ackrill said: “At Centrick, we know the importance of a home and the security that it brings for families and individuals wherever they are in the world. We want to help wherever we can, which is why we’re pledging to support Oxfam in providing shelter for 40 families by donating a proportion of all of our lettings and property sales instructed, so that we can provide vital support for those in their time of need.”