A Victory for Visibility: We Won Campaign of the Year at the Affordable Housing Awards 2023!

We are over the moon to share that our campaign “Homelessness in the Countryside – A Hidden Crisis” and the launch of the ‘Rural Homelessness Counts’ Coalition, has won the Campaign of the Year award at the Affordable Housing Awards 2023! This win is not just a feather in our cap; it is a milestone in our journey to highlight and tackle the issue of rural homelessness in England.

Winning this award has underscored the importance of our objectives to illuminate the challenges of rural homelessness, which often goes unnoticed. The comprehensive research conducted, and the subsequent establishment of a coalition have played a pivotal role in making rural homelessness a subject of national conversation.

Our past year’s endeavours were marked by breakthroughs in awareness, policy engagement, and community mobilisation. The alarming statistics revealed by our research, showing a 24% increase in rough sleeping in rural areas, struck a chord across various sectors and helped galvanise action.

The success of the campaign was crystal clear, with our report becoming a cornerstone in media discussions and our social media efforts reaching nearly four million people. The coalition has strengthened, with a unified voice that #RuralHomelessnessCounts and requires immediate, sustained attention.

Winning this award means more than just recognition for our hard work; it means that our message about the crisis of rural homelessness has resonated and created waves of change. It reaffirms our belief that when academic institutions, housing associations, and charities come together, remarkable impact can be achieved.

The ‘Rural Homelessness Counts’ Coalition has already started to see the fruits of our labour, with increased commitments from political figures and a growing public awareness of the crisis. With this award, we aim to propel our advocacy further, ensuring that the crisis of rural homelessness remains in the public eye and on the political agenda.

This award also celebrates the power of communication in driving change. By sharing personal stories and robust data, we have influenced policy discussions and highlighted the critical role of affordable rural housing as part of the solution.

As we reflect on the win, we are invigorated to press on with our work. The Affordable Housing Awards 2023 has given us a platform to raise awareness further, influence more significant policy changes, and continue our crucial advocacy efforts.

Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who supported our campaign. This award belongs to all who believe in and fight for the cause of affordable housing and the eradication of homelessness in the countryside. Here’s to a future where everyone has a place to call home.