Focus Forum: Furniture Poverty (furniture, flooring, curtains, carpets and white goods)

Focus Forum Details:

Date	Tuesday the 12^th of March 2024
Time	1100 - 1200
Location	Online via Zoom
Maximum number of participants	30
Who is this for?	This Focus Forum will be of particular interest to staff from Housing Associations, particularly Tenancy Sustainment and Financial Inclusion Teams. We also encourage attendance from Local Authority staff, particularly Public Health and Area Board teams. We also welcome participation from advisers, practitioners and caseworkers supporting clients in social housing.
Survey for Housing Associations	Housing Association representatives are invited to complete a short survey about flooring and window coverings in social housing.

Focus Forum Agenda:

#	Item	Facilitator(s)
1	Welcome and Introductions	Benedict van der Linde, Wiltshire Money Partnerships Manager, Wiltshire Money
2	Facilitated Discussion (suggested topics): What support are you aware of/does your organisation provide, for clients affected by furniture poverty? What relevant organisational policies are in place? What might solutions to this issue look like - how can barriers to providing affordable access to furniture and fittings be overcome? What are the environmental sustainability implications and how can these be mitigated?	Alex Montegriffo, Community Organiser and Campaigns Manager, Devizes and District Foodbank Claire Donovan, Head of Policy, Research & Campaigns, End Furniture Poverty Deborah Betteridge, Public Health Project Officer, Wiltshire Council
3	Focus Forum close	Benedict van der Linde, Wiltshire Money Partnerships Manager, Wiltshire Money

Forum Resources:

Forum Links:

End Furniture Poverty is the campaigning and social research arm of FRC Group, a group of 100% not-for-profit charities. FRC Group has been providing furniture, both new and preloved, to people living in furniture poverty for over 30 years and reducing, and ultimately eradicating furniture poverty is FRC Group’s core mission.
Family Fund Business Services (FFBS) – a fulfilment and grant administration service supporting organisations with their procurement needs and distributing practical support to people in need.
Waste Not Want Not is a not-for-profit registered charity, based in Chippenham, that became operational in 2002. It collects surplus furniture and household goods, still in good condition, to pass on at affordable prices to people on low income using a workforce of predominately volunteers.
Kennet Furniture Refurbiz KFR in Devizes sells second-hand furniture to support the Wiltshire community. Buy or donate furniture and white goods here. If you need to access a referral form then please email [email protected].
Salisbury Alms houses will take grant applications for carpets.
Contact Wiltshire Council Wellbeing Hub for HSF4 referrals: Wiltshire Wellbeing Hub | Your care Your support Wiltshire - [email protected]
Sovereign Network Group residents can enquire about support available to them (if eligible) by calling the contact centre on 0300 5000 926. For most of our grant funds, we ask that residents work with us on longer-term support too (employment, debt advice etc.).