Eleven Welsh housing associations take on national sponsored walk challenge in aid of homelessness charities

Staff from 11 Welsh housing associations are preparing to take on a national sponsored walking challenge to raise “invaluable and much-needed” funds for people facing homelessness.

Housing associations from north, south and mid Wales are preparing to take on the Hiking for Housing sponsored challenge this June and July in a bid to support numerous homelessness and prevention charities.

Each housing association has arranged its own event, with staff preparing to walk, run, or cycle up to 20 miles each.

Housing associations which have signed up to the challenge are Tai Calon, Stori, Cardiff Community Housing Association, Clwyd Alyn, Newydd, Bron Afon, Monmouthshire Housing Association, Melin, Cartrefi Conwy, Caredig, and Valleys to Coast.

Each has been supported by the sector’s trade body Community Housing Cymru, which has coordinated the walks and brought in experts from Call of the Wild and Hugh James to advise the participants on their events. Staff from the not-for-profit organisation, which oversees Wales’s 34 housing associations, will also be joining different walks across the country in support of their members.

Stuart Ropke, Chief Executive at Community Housing Cymru, said: “We’re delighted to support and help coordinate this fantastic nationwide sponsored walk event.

“We’d like to thank all housing associations and their staff who will be taking part in these walks, and wish them the very best of luck as they walk, run, or cycle the distance.

“Homelessness and housing support services are facing a real terms cut to national funding for the year ahead, which we are extremely concerned about. While we are continuing to push for further support of these vital services, we hope that these events will raise some invaluable and much-needed funds.

“If you are able to sponsor one of the teams taking part, please do.”

Those who wish to sponsor a housing association team taking part in a Hiking for Housing event can visit their individual social media pages and websites, where they will find links to their fundraising pages.

Community Housing Cymru is the voice of housing associations in Wales, with its members providing almost 165,000 homes to 10% of the Welsh population.

For more information on Community Housing Cymru visit chcymru.org.uk.

Images: staff from Melin Housing Association training for their walk