Dunedin Canmore supports Fresh Start hit squads

Edinburgh-based social landlord Dunedin Canmore Housing has renewed funding for a vital ‘Hit Squad’ service that helps people who were previously homeless to decorate their new home. The social housing landlord has linked up with Pilton-based resettlement charity Fresh Start to help fund the initiative.

Dunedin Canmore has donated £500 for each flat, which will allow the tenants to paint and carpet two rooms in their home with help from a Fresh Start Hit Squad – a team of volunteers who support the charity’s work.

Hit Squads not only provide help to decorate and give client’s long term skills – but they also help combat vulnerability and isolation through positive social contact.

Graeme Russell, Housing Services Director, Dunedin Canmore Housing said: “We’ve been in partnership with Fresh Start for the past 18 months on this project and it has proven to be a great success. Last year, every tenant involved said they felt more settled in their flat after having a visit from the Hit Squad. We’re therefore delighted to support the project once again this year.”

Keith Robertson, Managing Director, Fresh Start, said: “The support from Dunedin Canmore has been invaluable in helping people make a home for themselves. When you have been homeless moving into a home can be daunting, particularly as very often you’ll be moving into a shell. There is a lot of new responsibility. Our  Hit Squads help people to really feel they are making the house their own. And having support from others to settle in is very important too.”

Denise Cranston, 24, who is training to be a football coach, received support from the Hit Squad in March this year when she moved in to her new flat in Edinburgh after living in a homeless hostel.

Denise said: “It was quite daunting moving in to my new flat and looking at all the things I needed to do it. The Hit Squad helped me to paint my flat and they also gave me a cooker. This made the flat feel more like a home and they helped me to feel more settled. I’m really happy in the flat – I absolutely love it.”