On the 12th December, 210 students from Andrews Lane Primary School will be putting on their Santa Hats to take part in the Santa Run in aid of Herts Young Homeless.

A roof over our heads, the support of a loving family and somewhere safe to come home to are all things most of us take for granted, but what if this isn’t the case? Where would you turn? That's where Herts Young Homeless come in.

Every day young people in our community are homeless. Some of them are street homeless; the vast majority are ‘hidden homeless’. They might be sofa surfing, moving around from place to place, living in temporary accommodation such as a hostel, bed and breakfast or unsafe places such as cars or squats. Our mission is to support them into a secure situation and ensure that they do not return to the desperation of an uncertain future.

We believe the first stage in preventing youth homelessness is to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to prevent a crisis. We offer sessions that focus on the topics of homelessness, leaving home, independent living, managing conflict and healthy relationships. All of the money raised by the students at Andrews Lane Primary School will ensure that we can continue to provide the services to help young people in Hertfordshire.

How your support could help to prevent homelessness

£10 could enable a vital call to our helpline

£30 could pay for food and essentials for a young person for a week

£50 could pay for a family mediation session for a family in conflict

£100 could pay for a Home Truths lesson for 30 students to raise awareness of the realities of homelessness and the support available, as well as to begin to consider the process of leaving home.

Thank you to all the students taking part and to all those who make a donation