Milestones
Pictured above: Andy Burnham Centre with Sid Williams, James Whittaker and Vermont Construction
Greater Manchester backs pioneering community supporting people experiencing homelessness
A transformational community, providing support and accommodation to men experiencing homelessness is to receive a major boost.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has injected £1.4 million in Brownfield Development Funding to help complete the work on Embassy Village, a development which aims to provide long-term stability to help people at the sharp end of the housing crisis within the city region.
Since planning consent was granted in 2021, Embassy Village – being delivered by a pro-bono team led by Capital&Centric and Peel Waters – is a result of Manchester’s supportive business community.
Through a £3.5million donation from the Moulding Foundation and further substantial donations from the Garfield Weston Foundation and Benefact Trust, the first phase is almost complete, with this latest funding from the GMCA set to help wrap up construction.
Artist impression of Embassy Village
wrap around support for 40 men experiencing homelessness
The village, nestled under 22 railway arches on land provided by Peel Waters, will bring long term accommodation for 40 men experiencing homelessness, offering wrap around support to help them recover from the impact of rough sleeping and begin to develop the skills, connections and support needed to live well. It will be fitted out with high-quality homes, a village hall, outdoor green spaces, mini allotments to grow vegetables and a multi-use sports area designed to help provide wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The latest funding comes after work on the pioneering community began construction last year. Vermont Construction Group, who are building the scheme for no profit, expect to complete phase one of Embassy Village by late 2025.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“Embassy Village is a transformative project which will make a real impact to reducing rough sleeping in our city-region. This funding will be crucial in getting the project over the line and giving people the best support straight away.
“The backing from business from the start of this has been incredible and shows the willingness of the city-region to properly getting a grip on this.
“Embassy Village is yet another example of our ambition for Greater Manchester to put housing first and achieve a healthy home for all by 2038. It will take a lot of creativity to end the housing crisis and schemes like Embassy Village show what’s possible when we align our efforts amongst the public, private and voluntary sector in Greater Manchester. This is the latest example of the power of collaboration in solving the biggest issues in society, bringing together GMCA, Manchester City Council, our fantastic private sector partners and voluntary sector organisations like the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity. to bring the ambition of Embassy and their partners to reality.”
Sid Williams, Co-Founder and Director of Embassy said:
“The GMCA and Mayor Andy Burnham are committed to ending rough sleeping and tackling homelessness and this £1.4m donation will make a lasting impact towards delivering this. We’re hugely thankful for the GMCA’s continued support. The money will enable us to complete construction of the village’s buildings and get it up and running.
“We’re forever thankful for the generosity of Manchester’s incredible business community who’ve supported our cause from the get-go. But we still need financial and practical support to complete the sports pitch, gardens, landscaping and for the village’s on-going running costs. If you’d like to make a real difference to people that need it most, please get in touch! There’s still room for a few more companies to join the team as we make history right here in Manchester”
Tim Heatley, co-founder at Capital&Centric, added:
“Embassy Village shows what happens when Greater Manchester backs its own. This isn’t just about building homes, it’s about building hope and giving people a real shot at turning things around.
“From the volunteers to the donors to the businesses giving their time and cash, this is Greater Manchester at its best. We’re proud to be part of a team that’s proving you can take on homelessness with heart, graft and proper collaboration.”
James Whittaker, Managing Director of Peel Waters, added:
“We’re really pleased that GMCA have allocated funding to support the delivery of Embassy Village. Since we first floated the idea of Embassy Village by Andy Burnham in 2019, he fully understood how much of an impact these homes and the village will have on transforming people’s lives. Through this funding and the incredibly generous monetary and service donations from businesses across Greater Manchester, we have been able to make this idea a reality – I believe Embassy Village truly is the best example of working in partnership.”
more than just a roof over people’s heads
Embassy Village will offer more than just a roof over people’s heads, but a purpose-built community where residents will commit to individually tailored training in key skills like shopping, budgeting and work readiness. The village hall will come complete with space to socialise and eat together, a laundry room, communal computers, plus a training kitchen to help residents learn to cook.
Embassy will be responsible for the management and operation of Embassy Village. The Greater Manchester based charity launched in 2019 and specialises in reintegrating people back into society, breaking the cycle of homelessness by providing a home, skills training and wrap around support to give them the life skills to be independent. Over 90% of residents leave Embassy in employment and going to private rental sector housing which unburdens the council housing waiting lists.
Over 50 organisations from across the city have supported Embassy Village with funding, services and material donations:
Abacus, AEW Architects, Alexander Dawn Ltd, Arcadis, Arcaero, Bauparc Group, Benefact Trust, Bernard Sunley Foundation, Blaze Marketing, Bridgewater Canal Company, Capital&Centric, Cara brickwork, Cardinal Maritime, CDD Consult, CDM Services, CEF, Cheshire Scaffolds, Connectus, Crookes Walker Consultants, Crown Paint, Cundall, Curtins, Daikin, Deloitte, Derek Gough Associates, Dutchy of Lancaster, Edmond Shipway, Element Sustainability, Engineering Innovation, Engineering Integration, Enterprise Mobility, Euan Kellie, Everite, EWS group, Farr Logistics, Fisher Acoustics, Flair Foundation, Font Comms, Garfield Weston Foundation, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, Greater Manchester Police Safer By Design team, Hardscape, Hill Dickinson, Hobson Charity, Hollywood Monster, Ian Farmer Associates, Indigo Lithoprint, IP Jones, Jewson, Jon Matthews Architects, KPS, Lennox & Portland, LOFT, LM Group, Mente, Manchester City Council, Oakwood, Network Rail, OFR, OHS, One Agency Media, Our Studio, Paul Butler Associates, Peel Group Foundation, Peel Waters, Planit IE, Prestige Beds, PRS REIT, Radar Electrical, Rehau, Roma Finance, Shoosmiths, Shaw Contracts Management, Sigma Capital, Skelton Property Consultancy, Squire Patton Boggs, Sunbelt Rentals, Survey Solutions, Sweco, Temperature Control, The Dowager Countess of Peel, TFGM, The Environment Partnership, The Message Trust, The Moulding Foundation, Vermont Construction Group and Wardell Armstrong, Yesss Electrical, 29th May 1961 Trust.
Give your support
Anyone wishing to support Embassy Village by donating money, materials or services, can find out more by visiting www.embassyvillage.co.uk. or email sid@embassyvillage.co.uk
For general enquiries please contact hello@peelwaters.co.uk
For press and media enquires related to Peel Waters, please email: Emma Green egreen@peel.co.uk or Kate Holland kholland@peel.co.uk