Prince William advances homelessness campaign on Princess Diana's birthday

Economic Times

6 days ago

Prince William visits Sheffield on Princess Diana's birthday to mark two years of Homewards, an initiative aiming to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated through local partnerships, early intervention programs, and affordable housing projects
Prince William will travel to Sheffield on July 1, the day that would have marked Princess Diana's 64th birthday, to highlight the two‑year progress of his homelessness campaign, Homewards. Launched in the third quarter of 2023, Homewards aims to make homelessness 'rare, brief and unrepeated.' The initiative reflects Prince William's commitment to carrying forward Princess Diana's legacy in social compassion and advocacy.The campaign has engaged six pilot regions across the UK: Sheffield, Newport in South Wales, Aberdeen in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Bournemouth–Christchurch–Poole, and Lambeth in London. Each area is now in what Prince William's open letter describes as 'delivery mode' in implementing locally tailored strategies for homelessness prevention and intervention.
Also read: Royal insiders hint Kate Middleton may never fully recover — but a bold new chapter with Prince William loHomewards has launched more than 100 projects across the six pilot regions. A significant milestone came with a $50 million financing agreement from Lloyds Bank, intended to support the construction and refurbishment of affordable housing. Homewards describes the investment as a 'groundbreaking moment' that may unlock additional funding streams from public and private institutions.In a letter to participating local authorities, Prince William praised their efforts:'Your experiences are what makes Homewards unique and powerful... I am immensely proud to say that your collective effort has already allowed us to achieve lasting impact.'
He emphasized the need for continued focus, adding:'I am confident we can lead and inspire understanding, empathy and optimism that homelessness can be ended.'Also read: Prince William turns 43: Royals share new puppy photo for his birthday celebrationExperts from the homelessness and charitable sectors have endorsed Homewards' approach. Lydia Stazen, former executive director of the Institute of Global Homelessness and a member of Homewards' advisory board, noted:'The networks have been built...[and] we are seeing really concrete outcomes.'Polly Neate, former CEO of Shelter and Women's Aid, highlighted Homewards' focus on prevention:'We need to get out of this idea that crisis intervention is going to end homelessness... What Homewards is doing...is demonstrating how those systems can work differently.'Stazen attributed the campaign's rapid progress to Prince William's involvement:'His leadership brings 'a particular type of figure'... capable of convening, inspiring and motivating action.'
Prince William's visible endorsement and active participation have helped distinguish Homewards from earlier efforts that focused primarily on crisis response. During his visit to Sheffield, Prince William will tour a local school to view an early intervention initiative known as Upstream, modeled on Australia's Geelong Project. The program, which reached a 40 per cent reduction in youth homelessness and a 20 per cent decline in early school leaving, identifies and supports young people at risk before they enter homelessness.
William's itinerary also includes visiting Sheffield's Innovative Housing Project, where the first residents are moving into newly developed or refurbished homes funded through Homewards. The project represents a tangible outcome from the campaign's Lloyds Bank financing and local partnerships. Prince William anchored Homewards in Princess Diana's humanitarian influence. He and his brother Prince Harry visited homelessness shelters as children, a formative experience that guided William's continued advocacy. He now serves as patron of organizations that Diana once supported, including Centrepoint and The Passage.
Also read: 'He despises them': Furious Prince William to axe Harry's children from royal lineup when he's king Ahead of the Sheffield visit, William wrote that local teams had:'identified the groups particularly at risk of homelessness in your locations to drive solutions that show it is possible to prevent their homelessness.'
As Homewards enters its third year, Prince William's role continues to be central in uniting charitable efforts, public funding, and local innovation. By spotlighting early intervention, housing solutions, and community collaboration, the campaign aligns with research-based strategies aimed at systemic change.