Major boost for Emmaus Cambridge as Hill donates six SoloHaus modular homes
The Hill Group has donated six innovative modular homes to Emmaus Cambridge to provide secure temporary accommodation for members if its community.
The homes were donated as a part of Hill’s Foundation 200 initiative, a £15million pledge to design and donate 200 modular homes to charities working in homelessness by 2025. The purpose-built SoloHauses are fully furnished and equipped for a single person to move into straight away.
Emmaus took ownership of the units at a handover ceremony in Landbeach on January 23.
The Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence OBE, said: “It is a pleasure to join Emmaus and The Hill Group at this event, which sees the handover of these six impressive modular homes that will provide such great support to the Emmaus community.”
Terry Waite CBE, president of Emmaus UK, said: “A safe, comfortable, independent space is vital to helping those who experience homelessness to rebuild their lives and make the transition into more permanent accommodation.
“The SoloHaus homes will provide us with a great opportunity to support more people who find themselves in this position, and will make a real difference in our efforts to tackle homelessness in the Cambridge area.”
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Also present was Selwyn Image, founder of Emmaus Cambridge. Emmaus will use the six homes to give people who have recently experienced homelessness the opportunity to live independently and provide a pathway towards more long-term accommodation.
The homes are built to last for at least 60 years, are highly energy efficient and are designed to Future Homes standards, exceeding building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation.
Tom Hill, managing director at The Hill Group, said: “We are delighted to hand over these SoloHaus homes to Emmaus and applaud the fantastic work they do supporting the local community.
“As a major local housebuilder, central to our outlook is to apply our energy and expertise making a positive social impact in the areas in which we work. We are confident these innovative new homes will continue to benefit the most vulnerable people in the area for many years to come.”
Emmaus Cambridge supports up to 45 people at a time, offering a stable environment for people to gain new skills and confidence to get back on their feet. Residents gain work experience in the on-site social enterprises, Joan’s Coffee Shop and the second-hand shop.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s lead cabinet member for housing, Cllr John Batchelor, said: “We’re pleased to have supported Emmaus Cambridge in this initiative. The charity does incredible work to help those experiencing homelessness, and these new homes will provide additional accommodation so that more residents, or companions as they are known, can have a safe, secure space of their own.”
