Civic and charity stakeholders in Manchester are calling for greater collaboration among government agencies, businesses and citizens to address the challenge of homelessness in the parish.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of a solar energy system to the Mandeville-based Candle in the Dark Empowerment Centre by the JN Circle Mandeville Chapter on August 28, Custos of Manchester, Lt Col Garfield Green said: “We can and must do more for those who find themselves in these circumstances.”

Candle in the Dark Empowerment Centre, located in the Manchester capital, provides services to the homeless and mentally challenged in Manchester. 

The Custos said while the solar energy system handed over by the JN Circle is a step towards a brighter future for individuals who use the shelter, there is a need for more comprehensive solutions that will address the root cause of homelessness in the parish.

He said the presence of homeless persons in the community is a “stark reminder” of the work that needs to be done. 

“We must advocate for the systemic changes that provide greater care for the homeless, ensuring that they are not just sheltered but also supported in their journey towards stability and self-sufficiency,” he said.

He added: “It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every individual has access to resources they need which includes affordable housing, mental health services, job training and a supportive community.” 

While acknowledging the collaboration that enabled the acquisition of the system for the shelter, Dr Wendy Freckleton, president of the JN Circle Mandeville Chapter and chairman of Candle in the Dark Ministries, also called for players in the private and public sectors to make a collective effort to aid more homeless people in the parish.

With the new system installed, Dr Freckleton said the shelter will be able to expand its operations to clients, pointing out that there is currently a new wing at the back of the compound yet to receive electricity. However, she said it will take all hands on deck to ensure more persons are reached and given adequate support.

“The state of homelessness in Manchester is nothing to smile about,” she said. “There are many others that really need that type of care but they don’t have that mental ability to walk to Candle in the Dark; they will practically need someone to assist them in getting here… It is important that we take care of those who need it most.”

The JN Foundation provided $1.5 million, through its grants programme, to the JN Circle Mandeville Chapter for the procurement and installation of the solar energy system at Candle in the Dark. The system features five panels, located on the roof of the main building, an inverter and a battery. It’s designed to cover 70 per cent of the shelter’s electricity bill. Since its installation in June, the energy cost has already been reduced by 50 per cent.

Claudine Allen, general manager for the JN Foundation, said the handover of the system to the shelter is a manifestation of the vision of the JN Circle, which has evolved into a global network of JN members and customers of the JN Group who, by leveraging the JN network, serve as advocates and community change agents to improve their own lives and positively impact their communities.

“We started our solution design thinking about ‘How do we make partnership work in a real, tangible and sustainable way, and in a way that leaves the people better than we found them?’ And one of the things that we decided to do at that time was that, whatever we do and with whomever, there was a capacity building component, there was community building, there was advocacy and of course, there was networking evident in the work. And the work that was done at Candle in the Dark fits perfectly into all of that” she said.