Rt Hon Darren Jones MP for Bristol North West and Chief Secretary to the Treasury sees firsthand how social impact investment can transform lives
An interesting and engaging discussion took place at Henbury & Brentry Community Centre on 14 March, when Darren Jones MP met a former rough sleeper, along with Daniel Brewer, CEO of the innovative Social Impact Investment Fund, Resonance, and DHI CEO Rosie Phillips.
The MP spent over an hour listening to former rough sleeper Bruno, hearing how social investment had helped him find a home and the peace he needed to deal with his mental health and substance misuse problems. Darren said “this government is committed to creating the right environment for impact investment to unlock its potential for individuals and communities”.
Through its homelessness property funds, Resonance works with institutional investors, including local authority pension funds, to secure funding for high-quality, energy-efficient homes. These properties are refurbished and leased to housing associations and homelessness charities, who provide safe and stable accommodation along with wrap around support.
In Bristol, tenants supported through this initiative receive help with their health, wellbeing, and employment opportunities from Developing Health & Independence (DHI). Some have experienced rough sleeping or require higher levels of support. Through the government’s Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme (RSAP), DHI helps these individuals reintegrate into their communities, develop essential life skills, and build resilience to live independently.
Daniel Brewer, CEO of Resonance, highlighted the urgency of tackling homelessness in Bristol:
“Bristol has the highest rate of homelessness in the South West, with 15,871 households living in temporary accommodation. At the same time, local councils are facing financial pressures, with temporary accommodation costs rising to £2.29 billion a year. This is not sustainable. We need innovative solutions. Our homelessness property fund works across the UK, providing an immediate way to bring properties back into use as safe, long-term homes.”
During a visit, Darren Jones MP met Bruno, a tenant who shared how having a stable home transformed his life. Having lived on the streets then in shared accommodation, Bruno said how having his own home had given him the peace he needed to focus on his recovery. Daniel Brewer added:
“Our homelessness property funds show how social investment can be a practical solution to the housing crisis—providing homes, improving lives, and reducing costs for local authorities.”
Rosie Phillips, CEO of DHI, reinforced the impact of safe, affordable housing:
“Bruno’s story is proof of what people can achieve when they have a place to call home. Good quality housing, combined with the right support, changes lives. Social investment plays a vital role in making this possible. Bruno is making incredible progress — improving his mental health, developing new skills, and planning to start volunteering soon. He is a living testament to transformative power that having a stable place to call home can have on an individual.
#DHI | #TurningLivesAround
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