Northampton Hope Centre: ‘We’ve been told people wouldn’t be here today without the work we do’

The Hope Centre, which helps people in disadvantaged positions and experiencing marginalisation in Northampton, has made the shortlist for ‘community business of the year’ in the county.

Its vital work has been acknowledged by the SME Northamptonshire Business Awards 2023 – which Alex Copeland, chief executive of the Hope Centre, is pleased to see.

He said: “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised for all the work we do, whether that is as a charity or in the ways we generate income to see our work continue.

“We’re at the heart of Northampton, offering a one stop shop that supports the homeless and those living in hardship – to see them get back on their feet or to secure permanent accommodation as quickly as possible.”

The social enterprise, located in Campbell Street, operates a community food larder described as a “social supermarket”.

The number of people who utilise that service has grown from 450 to around 5,000.

“The growth of this aspect of what we do has been applauded by the business awards,” said Alex.

“There is a huge growing proportion that live in hardship as a result of the cost of living crisis, and this requires ongoing support and food supply so it does not lead to homelessness.”

Alex says the team does not work as hard as they do for the awards and accolades, but winning would give the staff a boost to know just how appreciated they are in the community.

As they also rely on corporate partners to offer financial support, Alex believes winning would continue to raise their profile to secure further funding.

Alex has been the CEO at the Hope Centre for just short of a year and when asked what his proudest moment during that time has been, he said: “Getting someone who is homeless into accommodation is amazing every time.

“We also work with those with severe mental health issues, and we’ve been told we save people’s lives and they wouldn’t be here today without the work we do.”

Alex also recalled when a family visited their food larder, after the mother had not eaten for as long as five days to ensure her children had.

“We get people through and keep them going, which makes the work so valuable,” Alex added.

Despite their positive impact, the team has had to work through some of the toughest challenges over the past year – namely the increase in demand for their services.

Alex said: “With more people now homeless and living in hardship day-to-day because of the cost of living, it has been tough.

“People who could stand on their own two feet before have struggled and needed extra support from us, which has meant we have had to scale up.”

Talking about the importance of the SME Northamptonshire Business Awards, Alex says it is good to see everyone working together to revitalise the Northamptonshire community.

Looking to the rest of the year, the Hope Centre will continue to focus on its day-to-day work in helping those in need.

To make this possible, there are a number of large fundraisers happening – including cycling across Europe and abseiling – and Alex encourages everyone to keep their eyes peeled.