The inaugural Berkeley Foundation Biathlon has raised more than £70,000 to support young people facing homelessness, significantly exceeding its £50,000 fundraising target.
Organised by the Berkeley Foundation, the three-day challenge brought together colleagues, partners and supporters to travel more than 240 kilometres from Birmingham to London.
Between 4th and 6th September, participants walked a marathon from St Basils’ Live & Work space in Birmingham to Leamington Spa, cycled 159km to Uxbridge, before completing a final marathon walk to finish at New Horizon Youth Centre in Camden.
The money raised will be shared equally between St Basils in Birmingham and New Horizon Youth Centre in London. Both are long-standing Berkeley Foundation charity partners that help young people move from crisis to stability and independence.
St Basils is a charity and housing association supporting young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless, vulnerable or at risk of homelessness across the West Midlands. For more than 50 years, it has provided accommodation, support and opportunities to help young people achieve independent futures.
New Horizon Youth Centre is London’s leading youth homelessness organisation, supporting young people aged 16 to 24 through housing advice, outreach, health services, youth work and employment support, helping them overcome homelessness and build lasting independence.
Every pound raised through the challenge will go towards emergency accommodation, housing advice, life-skills programmes, employment support and practical assistance for young people rebuilding their lives.
The challenge was designed to symbolically connect the two organisations and shine a spotlight on the growing issue of youth homelessness across the UK.
Opening the event, Piers Clanford, Chair of the Berkeley Foundation and Chief Operating Officer of Berkeley, commented, “As a business, creating homes is at the heart of what Berkeley do. Through the Berkeley Foundation, we extend that commitment beyond the homes we build, investing in organisations that help young people access the safety, stability and opportunities they need to build positive futures.
“We know that a safe home is about much more than four walls and a roof. It is the foundation from which young people can access education, employment, good health and independence.
“We’re incredibly proud of our long-standing partnerships with St Basils in Birmingham and New Horizon Youth Centre in London, and I’m proud of the team for taking on this challenge in support of their work.”
Every pound raised through the challenge will go towards emergency accommodation, housing advice, life-skills programmes, employment support and practical assistance for young people rebuilding their lives.
Marsha McAdam, Chief Executive of St Basils, highlighted the impact the challenge will have for young people: “St Basils works with young people aged 16 to 25 who are at risk of homelessness or who have already found themselves without a safe place to live. Our goal is to help young people rebuild their confidence, develop new skills, find work, continue their education and, ultimately, create a future that’s full of opportunity.
“The money raised through the Big Berkeley Biathlon will make a huge difference to both our causes, helping us prevent youth homelessness right here in the West Midlands.”
The Big Berkeley Biathlon reflects the Berkeley Foundation’s belief that every young person deserves a safe place to call home and the opportunity to reach their full potential.
