Metquarter has announced its official charity partnership with Liverpool based charity, The Hope Foundation as the centre endeavours to give back and support the local community.
The Hope Foundation is a charity based in Liverpool which aims to help anyone and everyone in need of housing support. With a focus on advice, training and support to assist with accommodation, the charity helps enable people to sustain tenancies, live independently and break the cycle of homelessness.
Alongside its main housing project, the organisation has four other projects working with local communities and providing direct financial support. Over the past 11 years, The Hope Foundation has also hosted a Christmas day celebration with an annual Christmas Meal backed by Metquarter via donations from tenants, customers and staff.
Initially, the Christmas meal was set up to focus on supporting homeless people, but this was soon extended to tackle loneliness, isolation and poverty over the Christmas period following the realisation more people were in need across the city. The first event was a great success, welcoming around 80 people on the day and each year since, the Christmas Meal has grown, feeding an average of around 250 people and providing gifts, games, entertainment, transport and long-term support to guests.
Over the years, Metquarter has teamed up with the foundation for its Christmas Meal, with the centre running a drop off point for donations for the meal and driving awareness of the campaign locally. Each year, Metquarter provides toys and gifts to ensure that each child that comes to the event has a present to open on Christmas Day.
Kickstarting the partnership for 2023, Metquarter has recently aided The Hope Foundation’s Easter Gifting campaign and the centre was used as a drop off location for Easter Egg donations to give back to those experiencing loneliness and isolation during a time when families and friends usually come together to celebrate. Metquarter staff will be donating their time as they volunteer with the charity throughout the year and Metquarter tenant Antonio Monica has also donated his old furniture from his coffee shop on the ground floor of the centre to the charity.
Jennina O’Neill, Metquarter Centre Manager said: “We’ve been working with The Hope Foundation for a number of years now, and we look forward to getting involved and bringing smiles to faces for the annual Christmas Meal and beyond. Supporting people in the local community is at the heart of what we do at Metquarter, so partnering with The Hope Foundation has always felt like a natural fit for us. Now more than ever, we want to drive awareness of the organisation’s efforts and we hope to make a real impact this year by getting involved in any way we can to help those who are in need navigate the current economic climate.”
Stephen Robertson, The Hope Foundation Director said: “We’re really excited for this next step in our partnership with Metquarter and we’re truly grateful for the support. Our long-term vision is to give everyone in the community a place to call home, and we believe this collaboration will help bring us that one step closer to achieving our goals and making the biggest impact to our clients’ lives – it’s a great match.”
Over the course of the year, Metquarter and The Hope Foundation will be announcing more initiatives which people can get involved in for 2023 and beyond.
For more information and opening times please visit www.metquarter.com
