THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE TO VISIT ALBERT KENNEDY TRUST
Hoxton, London
Wednesday 26th June, 2019
Ahead of the annual Pride in London parade and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, The Duke of Cambridge will visit Albert Kennedy Trust (akt) to learn about the issue of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, and the positive change that akt are enacting through their unique prevention and early action approach.
Akt is the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, providing safe homes and better futures for LGBTQ+ young people. Almost one quarter of the 150,000 young people facing or experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+, and 77 per cent of those cite rejection or abuse from their families as what has led them to being so.
His Royal Highness will meet with individuals who have been supported by akt and talk to staff about the services they provide including the akt safe house ‘Purple Door’, LGBTQ+ ‘host’ (or carer) services, in-person and online mentoring programmes and a range of youth engagement activities. In 30 years, akt has provided over 250,000 nights off the street and supported over 50,000 LGBTQ+ young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
The Duke will officially open akt’s new services centre in Hoxton which will host drop-in sessions for young people and grow its youth engagement offering. The Services team at akt is made up of Caseworkers who support young people into better futures, which includes supporting them with job hunting and interview preparation, ensuring they have food, clothes and shoes, that their wellbeing is stable and that they know how to complete the right documentation for anything they might need.
The Duke is a longstanding supporter of organisations working to combat homelessness, and is Patron of Centrepoint and The Passage.
The Stonewall uprising took place in New York on June 28, 1969, and is seen as the moment that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ movement around the world. Pride marches around the world will be recognising the anniversary, including Pride in London, where akt staff and supporters will be marching.
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