Prince William announces homelessness partnership with BCP

Alistair Doxat-Purser, chief executive of Faithworks, said he was proud of the BCP Homelessness Partnership.

He said cooperation between 42 organisations had already worked “amazingly” but being part of the Prince of Wales and The Royal Foundation’s Homewards can help reach “another extra level”.

Asked about his hopes for the new initiative, Mr Doxat-Purser said: “What can we achieve in five years? I don’t know but we are going to do some good stuff on the way and there are more and more people who are not going to be homeless at the end of that time.”

Mr Doxat-Purser said it was vital to remember that people experiencing homelessness were “individual people and everyone has a story”.

The Prince of Wales chats with Alistair Doxat-Purse (Image: PA/Andrew Matthews)

BCP Council leader Vikki Slade, who met Prince William during his visit to Faithworks Carpentry Workshop, said: “It is a real privilege to be chosen as one of the projects for Homewards.

“I think it is a testament to what we are already doing and a reflection on how that could be used if we can really take it to the next level as a model for other places going forwards.

“The reason we understand our project was selected was because of the way the homelessness partnership board and all the partners within it have already made a difference but with the problem of homelessness growing in society how we actually need to take it onto the next level.”

During the visit, the Prince of Wales met with carpentry workshop trainees Louis Phelps-Vandarl, Daniel Matthews and Clayton Jeynes.

Mr Phelps-Vandarl, 47, said: “It is nice that someone that high up is taking an interest in local charities.”

Discussing the workshop, he added: “It gives you the opportunity to improve yourself and it gives you the confidence to go out into the real world and look at better things that you wouldn’t normally have thought of for yourself.”

The Prince of Wales during a visit to Faithworks Carpentry Workshop (Image: PA/Andrew Matthews)

Mr Matthews, 43, said: “In my time I have been here not only have I developed as a person with the charity but the charity has developed with me as well.

“The fact the prince is sharing his time and engaging with different charities is like a snowball effect.”

Asked about the Prince of Wales experiencing the charity’s work, Mr Jeynes, 41, said: “I think it shows his heart is in a good place and he wants to get to the root of common problems in England.

“Just help people from disadvantaged backgrounds and help them to flourish and gain skills and highlight to a wider audience the problems on the streets and in communities today.”