BHT, celebrated its 50 anniversary at an event attended by Patricia Norman, BHT’s Life President, the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Peter Field, the Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Cllr Dee Simson, tenants and clients, current and former members of staff, Board members, and supporters of BHT.
BHT started as the Brighton Hostel in 1968 in one house in Islingword Road, off Elm Grove. Over the years it has grown to become one of the largest charities in Sussex, with services in Brighton and Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings and elsewhere.
BHT owns almost 500 homes in Brighton and Hastings, and leases a further 150 from private landlords including the iconic shipping container homes project in Brighton.
In addition BHT provides support and advice services covering issues such as mental ill health, addictions, homelessness and rough sleeping, work and learning, and immigration and asylum.
The 50 anniversary event was the start of a year-long calendar of events. BHT will be publishing reports, launching appeals, and providing information to the public about homelessness and other issues that lead to homelessness, exclusion and poverty.
From humble beginnings in a single house in central Brighton, BHT now has a reach and impact that nobody would have envisaged in those early days, combating homelessness, creating opportunities for people, and promoting change.
BHT is all about changing lives, 50 years of changing lives.
It was wrong that in 1968 there were people sleeping on our streets. It is more so today, in one of the richest countries in the world.
But the situation would be far, far worse if it wasn’t for charities like BHT. What we do would not be possible without partnerships with other organisations, or without the support of local and national government, or without the generosity of supporters and the general public.
Most of all, we couldn’t make the contribution we make without the courage and determination of our clients to make use of the opportunities that we can create so that they can combat homelessness, mental ill health, addictions and poverty.
BHT Chief Executive, Andy Winter.
