Horizon Radio is throwing its support behind an urgent £50,000 fundraising appeal from local homelessness charity UnityMK, and we're calling on our listeners, local businesses and the wider Milton Keynes community to help secure the future of a service that thousands of vulnerable people rely on.

UnityMK, which operates the only walk-in homelessness support service in Milton Keynes, needs to raise the final £50,000 to complete the next phase of its new Support Centre in Wolverton.

The charity has already secured an impressive £450,000 towards the £500,000 needed, but with a deadline approaching to leave its existing premises at the Old Bus Station, the final push for funding is crucial.

Horizon Radio is supporting UnityMK's Building Hope and Home appeal, encouraging everyone across Milton Keynes to contribute whatever they can to help protect this essential local service.

And thanks to match funding from Aviva, your donation could be doubled while match funding remains available, making your support go even further.

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Why UnityMK needs your help now

For people experiencing homelessness, or those worried about losing their home, having somewhere safe and welcoming to turn can make an enormous difference.

UnityMK provides exactly that. As the city's only walk-in homelessness service, it offers immediate practical support without the need for an appointment, helping people access food, showers, laundry facilities, housing advice and connections to specialist services.

But the charity is facing a significant challenge.

Its current home at the Old Bus Station is due to be redeveloped, meaning UnityMK must relocate its day services by spring 2027.

At the same time, the cost of remaining at its existing site has increased by more than 100%, placing additional pressure on the charity's resources.

A new Support Centre in Wolverton will provide a permanent base for its work, allowing UnityMK to continue helping people who might otherwise have nowhere to turn.

Work is already well underway at the former railway training centre, with the first phase of the project completed. The building is now safe, secure and watertight.

However, the charity needs to raise the remaining £50,000 to create the facilities that will allow it to begin delivering its vital day services from the new location.

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Thousands of people depend on UnityMK

The scale of UnityMK's work highlights just how important the charity is to our city.

In its latest annual figures, UnityMK recorded:

• 15,749 visits to its existing homelessness support centre.

• 2,765 showers provided to people who needed them.

• 109 people helped into accommodation.

• 10 people experiencing homelessness for the first time arriving at the centre every week, on average.

Behind every one of those figures is a person facing difficult circumstances, often needing more than simply a roof over their head.

UnityMK provides practical essentials, emotional support, welfare and housing advice, health and wellbeing services and connections to organisations that can help people rebuild their lives.

The charity also operates its annual Winter Night Shelter programme, providing additional support during the coldest months of the year.

As the number of people turning to UnityMK for help demonstrates, ensuring these services can continue is vital for Milton Keynes.

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A new centre offering hope and a fresh start

The planned 10,000 sq ft UnityMK Support Centre in Wolverton will bring a wide range of services together under one roof.

The new facilities will include showers and laundry areas, a welcoming kitchen and dining space, welfare rooms and dedicated areas for advice, training and one-to-one support.

But the vision goes much further than simply replacing the existing premises.

UnityMK wants to create a welcoming community hub where people experiencing or at risk of homelessness can access the practical help they need alongside specialist advice, health and wellbeing support, skills development and opportunities to move towards employment and permanent accommodation.

By bringing different services and partner organisations together in one location, the charity hopes to remove some of the barriers that make it difficult for people to access help.

The aim is to create an environment where everyone is treated with dignity, feels valued and has the opportunity to move towards a more secure future.

'We need Milton Keynes to get behind us'

Emma Johnson, Chief Executive Officer at UnityMK, explained why the appeal matters so much.

"This is about much more than finding UnityMK a new building. It's about protecting the future of Milton Keynes' only walk-in homelessness support service and making sure that, whatever their circumstances, people facing or experiencing homelessness in our city have somewhere to turn for help.

"We've already secured £450,000 and made significant progress on our new Support Centre. We're 90% of the way there, and we can really see what this building could become. We need Milton Keynes to get behind us, help us raise the final £50,000 and get us through the door.

"Our vision is to create a welcoming hub where people can access practical help and specialist support in one place, removing barriers and making it easier to move forward.

"We've come such a long way. With the support of our community, we can get through the door and turn that vision into a reality."

Horizon Radio is calling on Milton Keynes to make a difference

At Horizon Radio, we believe that local radio should play an active role in supporting the community it serves.

We're proud to back UnityMK's Building Hope and Home appeal because nobody in Milton Keynes should be left without somewhere to turn when they need help.

Homelessness can affect people from all walks of life. Whether someone has lost their job, experienced a relationship breakdown, faced financial difficulties or encountered circumstances beyond their control, having access to practical, compassionate support can be the first step towards rebuilding their future.

UnityMK has been providing that lifeline to people across our city, and we want to help make sure it can continue doing so.

We're asking Horizon Radio listeners, local businesses, community groups and organisations across Milton Keynes to get behind this appeal.

Whether you can afford to make a donation, organise a fundraiser at work, encourage colleagues to contribute or simply spread the word, every bit of support can help UnityMK move closer to its £50,000 target.

And with the possibility of donations being doubled through Aviva match funding, this is a particularly valuable opportunity to support the charity.

How you can support the Building Hope and Home appeal

UnityMK has already raised 90% of the funding required for this phase of its new Support Centre. Now it needs the people of Milton Keynes to help it cross the finishing line.

You can make a difference by donating to UnityMK's Building Hope and Home appeal through the Aviva Community Fund, where eligible donations could be doubled while match funding is available.

You can also support the campaign by sharing the appeal with your friends, family, colleagues and local community networks.

Every donation, however small, will help move the charity closer to opening its new centre and continuing to provide essential support for people facing homelessness.

Milton Keynes is a city that knows how to come together when it matters. With your help, we can make sure UnityMK continues to be there for the people who need it most.

Support UnityMK's Building Hope and Home appeal today and help turn its new Support Centre into a reality.

Donate here