Prakash Bhojani, a businessman based in the east Midlands city of Leicester, has brought Christmas cheer to many homeless people by donating to a local project and arranging to provide renovated accommodation to them.
The homeless people, to be selected by campaign group Action Homeless, will be able to move into their new homes before Christmas. Bhojani, 70, who runs a factory and real estate company, has been involved in local charity organisations.
The renovated houses owned by Bhojani’s company are being leased to the campaign group for a nominal fee. Bhojani donated £100,000 to the project that will benefit those who have recent experience of sleeping rough on the streets.
Bhojani told ‘Leicester Mercury’, a leading local daily: “We’ve worked hard to make sure the properties have all been renovated to a high standard. We want this to be the first step to people getting back on track, it’s important that the homes help them to do that”.
“I’m in a position where I can give something back. There are lots of reasons someone might find themselves homeless, these people deserve a second chance and they should have somewhere to live that makes them feel that way.”
Mark Grant of Action Homeless added: “We are really pleased to be able to offer this additional accommodation to people who are affected by homelessness in Leicester. The city as a whole is suffering from a lack of good-quality affordable housing and this has a huge impact on people, leaving many vulnerable”.
“I am particularly delighted that people without a home will have somewhere safe and comfortable to call their own in time for Christmas. My sincere thanks go to our generous donors who have made this possible.”
Leicester has a large number of people of Indian origin; many moved there after being expelled from Idi Amin’s Uganda in the early 1970s and went on to succeed in various professions and business. The city is held up as a symbol of Britain’s policies of multiculturalism.
First Published: Dec 17, 2018 17:31 IST
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