Homewards partners in Newport came together at Rodney Parade to reflect on progress and drive forward action to prevent homelessness in the city for good.
The event brought together local organisations, partners and people with lived experience for a morning focused on connection, shared learning and the next phase of delivery.
The day was shaped by powerful contributions from experts by experience, including a moving operatic performance and pieces from Village of the Damned, a locally produced theatre and creative community performance championed by the Gwent Women Will Unite Group. These contributions offered honest reflections on the realities of homelessness, ensuring conversations remained grounded in lived experience and the importance of designing solutions alongside those who understand the challenges first-hand.
Partners shared updates on key work underway across Newport, including:
- Community House – an early intervention approach combining youth work with therapeutic support to reduce future risk of homelessness.
- Upstream prevention activity – identifying and supporting people at risk earlier.
- Homelife – delivered by Housing Justice, Barnardo’s and Codi Group to help people access safe and sustainable housing.
- Eden Gate – providing accredited construction skills and life skills training for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
- Street Fairy – delivering creative workshops to ensure a broad range of community voices are heard.
Attendees heard from a range of speakers, including Sarah Miller and Mollie Cross from Community House; Mark Willmore, Director at Llamau; Sam Howells, Head of Social Value at Codi Group; Cath Cains, Volunteer Coordinator at Housing Justice; Maria Jones, Children’s Services Manager at Barnardo’s; Dave Bennett, Head of Service Innovation and Enhancement at The Wallich; and Phillipa, a Homewards Expert by Experience.
Sam Howells, Head of Social Value at Codi Group, said:
“The impact of having the Homewards programme in Newport has put collaboration and partnership into sharp focus. It has enabled us to get around a table and really talk about how we can tackle homelessness in Newport together.”
Homewards also shared plans for a Street Football Wales tournament later this year in Newport. The event will bring together people who work in and are supported by homelessness services, while raising funds for the Wales team travelling to the Homelessness World Cup in Mexico in January.
A workshop session explored what comes next, building on current activity and identifying where collective action can go further. These discussions are central to Homewards in Newport, ensuring partners continue to collaborate closely and move forward together.
The day concluded with news that Invisible Cities will be launching in Newport, with guests offered a taster tour to experience a different perspective on the city through the eyes of people who have experienced homelessness.
With strong partnerships in place and a continued focus on lived experience, Newport is building momentum, working together to deliver lasting change and prevent homelessness for good.
