Top accountancy firm dishes up £5,000 to provide homeless young people Christmas lunch

The generous £5,000 donation was made up of a donation of £5 from each member of staff who attended the Grant Thornton Christmas party this year. This festive generosity will provide homeless young people with a hot meal this Christmas.

Seyi Obakin, Centrepoint’s Acting Chief Executive said: “Young people do not choose to be homeless. Many of the young people we support have experienced domestic abuse, family breakdown, poverty, and increasingly, the harsh reality of a knife and gun culture. Christmas for these homeless young people inevitably can be one of the loneliest and most isolating times of the year. We are grateful for this generous donation which will make such a positive difference to the Christmas that young people will have now they are in a Centrepoint service this year”.

Ian Smart, Managing Partner London at Grant Thornton, said “It has been wonderful for staff at Grant Thornton to be able to contribute to the valuable work that Centrepoint does. In the current economic climate and over the Christmas period we realise how important it is to continue showing support for homeless young people. That is why our senior staff ‘slept out’ as part of Centrepoint’s Sleep out event and why we chose to donate money through our Christmas party so that all of our staff could be involved in helping benefit Centrepoint’s work”.

Centrepoint’s Countdown to Christmas appeal is still on. Centrepoint must raise £266,437 in 40 days to support homeless young people in Centrepoint services over the Christmas period. Just £24 can provide a bed for a homeless young person on Christmas day, £70 could pay for accommodation over the Christmas week for a homeless young person. With your help, we can give a homeless young person a happy Christmas – and a better future.

For more information about Centrepoint, or for pictures and interviews please contact Alex Bolton at Centrepoint on Tel: 020 7423 6887 or email a.bolton@centrepoint.org

Notes to editors:

Picture shows Ian Smart of Grant Thornton (left) presenting a cheque to Centrepoint’s Acting Chief Executive, Seyi Obakin (Centre).

About Centrepoint

• Centrepoint is the national charity working to improve the lives of socially excluded homeless young people aged 16-25.  It provides a range of accommodation based services, including emergency night shelters and short stay hostels, specialist projects for care leavers, ex-offenders, young single parents, foyers and supported flats and floating support services. These accommodation services provide the foundations from which young people can start tackling the issues that lead to them becoming homeless, and developing the skills they need for a sustainable future.
•  Centrepoint is a leading national charity that successfully prevents and tackles youth homelessness.
• HRH Prince William became Centrepoint’s patron in 2005.
• Since 1969 Centrepoint has helped more than 70,000 young people.
• At any one time Centrepoint works with over 800 young people.
• For further information about the work of Centrepoint, see www.centrepoint.org.uk

About Grant Thornton

• For more information about the work of Grant Thornton, see www.grant-thornton.co.uk