The official opening of a £3.15 million 'Aspire Young Persons Centre' for homeless people took place on Tuesday September 15th to celebrate the first centre of its kind in Great Yarmouth.

Led by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, the project has brought together 12 partners and funders including Orwell Housing Association and The Benjamin Foundation, a charity based in North Walsham that manages the building and provides around-the-clock support.

Set up to help young people aged 16 to 25, Aspire supports people who cannot live at home for a variety of reasons including those previously living in care, sleeping rough, sofa-surfing or staying in temporary bed and breakfasts.

It is the first time there has been specialist provision in Great Yarmouth to provide young, homeless people with accommodation and support to help them eventually move on to their own home. And it's clearly a much-needed facility as Aspire's seventeen bedrooms were full within just a fortnight of opening.

The centre provides a supportive environment, which empowers residents to gain a better future. All young people are given a support plan, which outlines skills needed to gain employment or access training opportunities.

Residents are also provided with practical skills in order to keep their own home including healthy eating, cooking, cleaning, managing a budget and maintaining a tenancy.

The Aspire building originates from 1830 and was given a new lease of life by Great Yarmouth Borough Council after standing empty for over 15 years.

The name 'Aspire' was chosen by one of its residents, Stacie Raspison, following a competition to name the building, which was originally called Bretts after the previous owners' business.