Homeless charity Project 16:15 to end Northampton street outreach after almost a decade

The charity announced the decision in a statement last week, confirming it will no longer provide its regular street-level support in Northampton while continuing its wider advocacy work for people experiencing homelessness.

Explaining the move, trustees drew a stark contrast between their experiences in Northampton and Rushden.

They said: "Unlike in Northampton, we have been welcomed into the area by those in positions in power and have had the pleasure of working closely and positively with Rushden Town Council and local housing providers.

"This has been a breath of fresh air after years of seemingly battling against the system in our county town."

Trustees also said chief executive Stan Robertson's health had deteriorated because of “the pressures of providing a street level service with limited support from the wider system taking their toll”.

They added that the decision marked “a natural and necessary evolution” for the charity.

“What that does mean is that we will be bringing an end to the street level service that we have been providing in Northampton,” the statement said.

“While this may be a shock to some, we believe it is a natural and necessary evolution for Project 16:15.”

Looking back over almost 10 years, trustees said the charity had evolved from providing breakfasts on the streets into a rough sleeper outreach team, while also operating a homeless football team, a food van and responding throughout the Covid pandemic.

“We've stood at the gravesides of people we have come to know and love, and we've seen others move into accommodation,” they said.

The trustees also criticised the ending of emergency Covid homelessness measures, saying rough sleepers had, “for a little while at least and until those in power decided they could no longer afford it”, largely been taken off Northampton's streets.

They said the homelessness landscape had since changed, with organisations including the Hope Centre and the McCarthy-Dixon Foundation expanding their services, while volunteer numbers had fallen and concerns over volunteer safety had increased.

In a video message, Stan described the decision as “not an easy one to make” and said the stroke he suffered last year had left him unable to continue leading the street outreach service in the way he wanted.

He said: "Rather than keep watching the service we offer decline and not being what we want it to be, I had to decide how best to operate as the charity moving forward.”

He added: “Within Northampton it's become a point where I personally didn't feel that I was achieving as much anymore, due to the nature of things and the way things are changing and the way the support networks work.

"It's almost like banging your head against the same wall on a regular basis. It just wasn't progressing in that respect anymore."

He stressed the charity would continue advocating for vulnerable people despite ending its street outreach.

"The support isn't stopping. We're not going to leave somebody hanging who needs our support. We're just not doing the physical side of it.

"We're not gone. We're just relocating, reforming, regrouping, making changes that we feel need to be made at this time.

"We will still be fighting for people, for their humanity. We will still be standing in their corner."

West Northamptonshire Council has been approached for comment.