THE PRINCE OF WALES WILL VISIT THE PASSAGE
Thursday 23rd February 2023
The Prince of Wales, Royal Patron, will visit The Passage to officially open two residential buildings. Bentley House and Passage House have gone through extensive refurbishments and together will support approximately 225 people who are experiencing homelessness per year.
The two buildings are an important part of The Passage’s long-term strategy to end homelessness in London. Passage House has 37 en-suite units and offers a rapid-response service for those who are newly homeless, aiming to reduce the instances of people becoming stuck in a street-based lifestyle. Meanwhile, Bentley House provides a permanent home for twenty people who have a long history of being street homeless. While residents here live independently, they are provided with on-site support from The Passage’s team of experts and volunteers.
During the visit, the Prince will meet residents, staff and volunteers to hear about the impact the new facilities will have on those who The Passage supports. His Royal Highness will also hear from representatives from organisations who have supported the refurbishment. To mark the official opening of the two buildings, the Prince will make a short speech and unveil two new plaques.
The Passage was founded in 1980 to provide practical support and a wide range of services to help transform the lives of people who are street homeless. Today, they run a modern resource centre in Victoria, residential and resettlement projects, outreach and health services, homelessness prevention schemes and a pioneering modern slavery referral programme. Each year, The Passage helps around 2,500 people to end their homelessness for good.
The Prince became royal patron in February 2019, having visited The Passage numerous times over the previous years, firstly as a young child with his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
