In 1830, the first fully steam-powered railway in the world was built between Manchester and Liverpool. But almost two centuries on, much of what once stood as a monument to modernity and innovation has fallen into disrepair – as has the social fabric of Manchester itself, where one in 74 people are currently experiencing homelessness . The A Bed Every Night scheme, launched by mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham in 2018 and expanded last year, aims to provide emergency accommodation and support to anyone sleeping rough in the region.
Burnham has also committed to implementing the principles of Housing First , whereby people experiencing homelessness are provided with housing and support as the first step in their journey into permanent accommodation. But the latest figures reveal that there are still around 149 people sleeping rough in the area each night – up from 102 in 2022. Get the latest news and insight into how the Big Issue magazine is made by signing up for the Inside Big Issue newsletter Local charity Embassy aims to combat this issue – and to make use of Manchester’s historic rail infrastructure in the process.
Led by co-founder and director Sid Williams, they are now embarking on the construction of Embassy Village: 40 high-quality homes, along with a village hall and spaces for exercise, gardening and socialising, under railway arches. All will be occupied by people with experience of homelessness, who will also be provided with wraparound support a.
