Coastline Housing, a local housing charity, has raised a remarkable £16,806 to support StreetVet and its mission to care for the pets of those experiencing homelessness. The cheque was presented to StreetVet and its celebrity partner, Julia Bradbury, during an outreach session at Coastline’s homeless centre in Pool on Tuesday, 4 February 2025. The money was raised through a year-long fundraising effort by Coastline Housing colleagues, marking a record-breaking amount for the charity.
Louise Beard, Deputy CEO of Coastline Housing, expressed her pride in presenting the cheque and said, “This is by far the most we’ve ever raised for a charity of the year, which just goes to demonstrate the huge support colleagues have for StreetVet and the incredible work they do with the pets of people experiencing homelessness. It’s clear that we have a large number of animal lovers here at Coastline and they were incredibly enthusiastic about StreetVet and the great work they do in Cornwall.”
Coastline has been working closely with StreetVet for many years, hosting monthly outreach sessions at Chi Winder, their purpose-built homeless centre in Pool. These sessions are always heavily attended, with individuals living in the centre’s crisis accommodation, supported housing, and local rough sleepers bringing in their pets for check-ups and treatments.
Beard also highlighted the importance of allowing pets to stay with their owners in homeless hostels, stating, “Just 10% of homeless hostels in the UK allow pets to stay with clients who are accessing crisis or supported accommodation. When we built our homeless centre, we were certain that we wanted to let people who were staying there bring their pets with them. The bonds we develop with pets are deep, and they are such an important part of our lives. Experiencing homelessness is incredibly hard as it is, without the added trauma of being separated from a beloved companion.”
The funds were raised by Coastline Housing colleagues through various events, including their annual marathon challenge in September, where teams collectively ran 800 miles in eight hours. Coastline also held events such as BBQs, a quiz night, raffle, St Piran’s Day celebration, and even a ‘Coastline Olympics’ event where teams of four competed in fun and comical challenges.
Zoe Abbotts, Chief Executive of StreetVet, expressed her gratitude for Coastline Housing’s support, saying, “We are incredibly grateful to Coastline Housing for choosing StreetVet as their Charity of the Year partner and for their tremendous efforts in raising vital funds. Coastline Housing’s commitment to being a pet-inclusive organisation aligns perfectly with our mission of protecting the human-animal bond, keeping pets and their owners together wherever possible. The money raised will help us provide free veterinary care and services to the pets of those experiencing homelessness. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness with their beloved pets.”
Zoe Field, Head of Finance at Coastline, who organized the charity marathon challenge, emphasized the importance of supporting local charities, saying, “As a Cornish charity ourselves, we feel it is important that we do what we can to give to fellow charities operating in our area and support the great work that they do. Every year, I’m astounded by the great fundraising ideas that colleagues come up with and the super effort people put into the challenges and events we hold.”
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.