The impact of Caritas House Accommodation Project
As part of Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity’s mission to end homelessness and the need for rough sleeping in Greater Manchester, we provide funding to front-line services through our grant-making programmes. Since 2018, we have granted funds to over 170 organisations across three key priority areas spanning emergency response, places and spaces, and targeted prevention.
We’ve evolved our grant-making since our launch, working to ensure we can get as much funds as possible to the frontline of the housing and homelessness crises, as well as creating clear, manageable processes for our (potential) grantees.
In Autumn 2024, we launched a new small grants programme inviting applications for up to £10,000. We were particularly interested in hearing from organisations under the Places and Spaces or Targeted Prevention strand. One of the successful applicants was Caritas Salford, who we visited to learn more.
Our grant supported Cartias Salford’s new Caritas House Accommodation Project in Manchester, which provides high quality accommodation with 24-hour support, for 19 single homeless men. For the residents, this is a first step on the pathway out of homelessness to develop independent living skills, setting them up for their future.
During our visit to Caritas House we spoke to head of homelessness, Amanda Croome.
How was the grant from Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity spent?
This grant has enabled Caritas Salford to create a welcoming and accessible reception for our new 19-room supported accommodation project for single homeless men in Miles Platting, Manchester.
What has this funding enabled you to achieve?
We have redesigned the reception space and created a new opening that allows us to welcome and talk to residents as they go in and out of the building and a reception office where residents can come in to get support from staff.
The project opened in February, and we were soon full with our first 19 residents. Six people have since moved on and been replaced by new residents, so in total we have already supported 25 people and provided them with a high quality, safe and supported place to live while we help them to find their forever homes. This includes people who use wheelchairs and crutches, and they've really appreciated that it is accessible accommodation that has been designed to meet their accessibility needs.
Were there any unexpected outcomes from the funding or project?
The reception area has helped to create a really welcoming atmosphere in the project and has encouraged residents to feel safe and to feel valued and to build up trusting relationships with staff. This has helped us to get everyone involved in activities which are helping them to develop skills and improve their health and wellbeing - including IT skills in our internet cafe, cooking skills in the kitchen and gardening skills that they have learnt while creating a colourful and peaceful courtyard garden for all the residents to enjoy.
Talking to Amanda showed us the value of the funds we provided – helping to ensure that the accommodation is accessible for all groups. Chris’s* story shows just how important this accessibility is.
Chris is one of the 25 residents who have been supported by Caritas House. Chris experienced a severe leg injury meaning he needed to use crutches to aid his mobility. He was placed in various temporary accommodations which were unsuitable for his physical needs. He was referred to Caritas House and moved in in March 2025. Caritas House provided him with a ground floor accessible room and shower facilities. Whilst resident, he made positive friendships with other residents and got involved in activities. Caritas House supported him to reunite with his family and he has now moved into a new home with them. After he left, he rang to thank Caritas House for the support saying: "Thank you so much for looking after me and helping with connecting with my family, I am so happy and appreciate it so much, you are amazing"
Caritas Salford supports people from across Greater Manchester and Lancashire who are experiencing homelessness, poverty, displacement or discrimination. To learn more about the work of Caritas Salford, visit their webpage here, or watch our interview with Amanda on our social media.
Over the coming weeks we will be continuing to share more of the impact our grants are making across Greater Manchester. Together, we can end homelessness.
*Name changed to protect privacy.