New accommodation for young people facing homelessness has been completed in Chatham.

Housing association MHS Homes launched a new foyer, named Sunrise Foyer, in Russell Court today (28 November).

The scheme will provide 30 flats for 16 to 25-year-olds, including 24-hour support from trained staff.

The new foyer has been achieved by redeveloping Russell House, previously used as bedsits for people aged 55 and over.

MHS Homes closed the ageing building in 2019 as it no longer met modern standards for that type of housing.

Now it has been given a new lease of life through the creation of 25 studio flats, three one-bed flats and two bungalows, which have been fully adapted to accommodate people with mobility issues.

As well as receiving 24-hour support, the young residents will benefit from a programme of life skills training, such as budgeting, cooking and job applications.

The foyer also features a gym, communal gardens, laundry facilities and an outbuilding for activities and workshops.

The official opening, attended by the MHS Homes chief executive, the local MP, Medway councillors and representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), was followed by a red ribbon cutting ceremony.

Ashley Hook, chief executive at MHS Homes, said: “Many of the young people in our foyers have had a difficult start in life and come to us with complex challenges.

“But with a safe place to call home and the right support, they can go on to achieve their aspirations.

“Part of that is about helping to break the cycle of ‘no home, no job – no job, no home’, and this new foyer will give even more young people a chance to develop an independent future for themselves. It will transform lives.”

Tristan Osborne, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, added: “The new Sunrise Foyer will be a lifeline for young people who have nowhere else to go.

“Homelessness is devastating at any age, but young people are particularly at risk of exploitation and abuse. With somewhere safe to live, they can turn their lives around and move away from homelessness for good.”

MHS Homes invested more than £2 million into the new foyer, in addition to funding received from the government’s Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP).

A planning application was approved in May 2021 and building work started last July.

The housing association operates two nearby foyers, Endeavour and Springboard Foyers in Chatham and Rochester respectively.

It also owns and manages 10,000 homes across north Kent, making it the UK’s largest independent social landlord.