Salvation Army celebrates 25 years of transforming young lives

A street party has been held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Salvation Army supported accommodation for young people in Huntingdon.

The event at Kings Ripton Court featured fun and games, music and a barbecue. The Salvation Army lifehouse offers life-changing, person-centred support to 36 people between 16 and 25 experiencing homelessness or in need of extra support. The service helps residents build independent living skills, gain confidence, and move forward into brighter futures.

Manager Joy Raggett said the anniversary marked not only a celebration of the past but also a commitment to continuing this vital work into the future.

She said: “Most young people who come to us have experienced lots of trauma and we focus on supporting people where they are and recognise that each person’s journey is unique. The key is not to just look at the homelessness. It’s to look at all the things that cause and affect that and which might make it difficult when somebody moves on to independent accommodation. Staff are dedicated to providing the best care for people who live here.

“The needs of the young people we help continuously change. Some will walk in and start talking about something you have never heard of. This job is diverse as the people and the individuals we serve.”

Over the years, hundreds of young people have called Kings Ripton Court home, with many going on to secure stable housing, employment or further education. Joy said these personal stories are what motivates her.

She said: “We have had some great moments including one of our residents going to play for England in the Homeless World Cup. Statistics indicate success but lots of little stories often don’t get captured. When you meet somebody and they tell you how they are doing, that is great. They may still be in the accommodation you found them some years after they moved there or they’re raising their families and holding down a fulltime job. You can see that the cycle’s been broken because they’re providing good stable homes for their kids and you’re hoping that means their children aren’t going to come through our door.

“When people come here, especially if they are young, they can be very shy. They may seem to be very confident, but they are probably covering up some insecurities. To see them develop skills like learning to cook a meal, completing paperwork or completing qualifications is amazing. When we nominate them and they get the offer of accommodation, it’s a great feeling.”

Joy also said Kings Ripton Court enjoys a lot of support from the local community, something which she is very grateful for. 

She said: “Lots of people from the local community have volunteered here, local schools have supported us with donations, local groups have knitted things for us, people have cooked and donated food while local businesses have supported us. Lots of people do a little bit to help us and we are extremely grateful.

“We want to keep trying to improve the quality of the service we are providing – it would be great if we weren’t needed. The reason I like working with young people is the difference you can make for generations to come and not only for the person you are currently working with.”

 Kings Ripton Court was set up in 2000 in conjunction with Huntingdonshire District Council.