Hope for rough sleepers this Christmas as campaign pushes for investment in new homes

This festive season will be a joyful time spent with our loved ones for many of us.

But for those who are experiencing homelessness, the cold and dark nights will be some of the most difficult they've experienced during the entire year.

It doesn't have to be that way though. Green Pastures is a social enterprise focused on ethical investing to address homelessness in the UK - and its latest 'Hope Starts Here' campaign is determined to make a change to the lives of rough sleepers.

The initiative aims to attract more investors so that homes can be bought in Manchester for those who need them the most. It highlights that for a person experiencing homelessness, hope begins with a home, and the fact that the Christmas story emphasises a new start is possible for everyone.

The 'Hope Starts Here' campaign has its centrepiece revolving around a short film depicting the story of a child experiencing homelessness.

Their story represents the estimated 151,630 children currently living without a permanent home in the this country, a figure recorded by government data. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that this child also symbolises every person in the 324,990 households across England, desperately in need of a place to settle.

Green Pastures believes that no one should live without a place to call home, and for those who live on the streets or without a permanent address, the security of somewhere to call their own is life-changing.

At Christmas time especially, we’re reminded of the nativity story of a baby born with no crib for a bed, offering a powerful reflection on what it means to find hope - even in difficult circumstances.

Those who want to support Green Pastures' 'Hope Starts Here' campaign can do so by lending