HOME Secretary and Redditch MP Jacqui Smith recently visited the new offices of Redditch Nightstop to hear about the charity's new initiatives to reduce homelessness among local young people.

This has been a big year for Redditch Nightstop, which is celebrating 10 years of providing emergency overnight accommodation to homeless young people.

In May the Big Lottery awarded the charity a £460,000 grant which will fund the work for the next five years and allow Redditch Nightstop to employ new staff and develop new services.

As a result of this success, the expanding team have had to move to new larger offices in the centre of Redditch.

Ms Smith visited the offices to learn about plans to reduce the number of young people coming onto the streets by offering local schools an education program which teaches about the reality of homelessness.

She also met staff who will be providing a new mediation service, working with families where there is a risk of a young person becoming homeless.

In addition, she heard about the charity's pilot project which aims to bring the same services to young people in the Bromsgrove area.

Ms Smith said: "I have followed the progress of Nightstop for many years and have always found them to be sensible and practical about their work.

"This is an exciting time for their organisation and a great boost to young people who might find themselves in difficulties with accommodation.

"I am sure that they will go from strength to strength."