Emergency accommodation service Nightstop will celebrate its 30^th anniversary today (31 October 2017) with a reception in The Speaker’s House, in the Palace of Westminster.

The celebration will bring together Nightstop volunteers and staff from the past three decades as well as MPs, Peers and funders in the historic house of Commons’ Speaker, Rt. Hon. John Bercow MP.

Depaul UK Chair Suzanne McCarthy said: “As we celebrate the generosity of all those involved in Nightstop, it is also a time to reflect on youth homelessness in our society. It is humbling to think that 30 years since the first Nightstop launched in Leeds, the network is now needed more than ever.

“I would like to pay tribute to the army of volunteers who have supported thousands of homeless people during Nightstop’s history. For 30 years these volunteer hosts have opened their homes to young people they have never met, offering their spare room to prevent them from sleeping rough or in other unsafe places.

“Our wonderful volunteers, our hosts, drivers and other support workers, show the impact that communities can make when they take action to help those in need. It is my great pleasure to wish Nightstop a very Happy 30^th Birthday.”

Depaul UK CEO Martin Houghton-Brown said that Nightstop UK, which receives support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery among many other funders, now accredits 33 services across the UK, preventing young people from the terrifying prospect of having nowhere to stay.

He said: “For many young people in desperate need, Nightstop is not only their last hope but also their first step on a journey to a better life. Our dream is to expand the Nightstop network of services to cover every local authority area.

“Nightstop has enjoyed a remarkable 30 years but it is really only the beginning of what could be achieved with this successful model for preventing homelessness and restarting lives. We need more Nightstop volunteers across the country. If you’d like to find out more about how you can make a difference to young people experiencing homelessness, please get in touch.”

Last year, the Nightstop network gave 1,400 young people a safe place to stay in more than 600 volunteer households, providing more than 12,000 beds for the night.

Early this year, a Nightstop service was also launched in Toronto, Canada, with the support of Nightstop UK.