A year-long project offering a home, hope and a future to the homeless or vulnerably housed in Oxford has been launched.

Edge Housing, based at The Kings Centre, Osney Mead, launched its 10 x 10 campaign with the aims of opening their tenth house, raising £10,000 to help fund a support worker for their first women’s house, running 10 supporter events and publishing 10 case studies on social media.

They also want to partner with 10 new corporate ambassadors - Edge has three signed up, The Courtyard by Marriott, Holywell Press and 3C consultants – to link up with 10 new regular donors and recruit 10 new volunteers.

Resident Peter was housed by Edge just six weeks after he arrived in Oxford from Wiltshire.

He said: “I was getting myself together again because I’d just come out of hospital. I got all my stuff taken, my head stamped on. I had to have an MRI scan, a CAT scan. Pretty much every night, every time I went to a different place to get something to eat or go for my drug and alcohol counselling or parent guidance courses I was filling in forms for different associations to get me off the streets because it was ‘enough is enough’.

“And then Edge came first and they housed me the following day.”

The 10 x 10 campaign was launched at the Courtyard by Marriott Oxford City Centre Hotel with music performed by students from City of Oxford College.

Sue Edridge, support worker, said: “We talked a lot about opportunities to work more closely with Edge Housing during the evening, including partnering, volunteering, supporting Edge as a Corporate Ambassador or fundraising opportunities.”

Worcester College physics graduate and PhD student Esthy Hung is a volunteer with Edge and ran the Oxford half marathon, raising £580 so far for the group.

Esthy said: “I'm so grateful to all who have been generous in sponsoring the run especially when it's been a year where jobs have been lost, unemployment rates have risen and finances have become tighter for many in the UK.

"£400 can go towards the costs of educational/vocational courses to help Edge residents become qualified for the job they want. One of the residents is aspiring to be a professional hotel chef and so for him funding cookery books and appropriate equipment helps him to achieve his career goals!

"£400 can also go towards supporting our residents to engage in activities and hobbies that have a very positive impact on their mental health. And £400 can also go towards funding a new support worker for Edge Housing's first women's house opening in 2022!"

To sponsor Esthy go to https://wonderful.org/fundraisers/183