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Shelter: Introduction
Shelter was one of the three charities Play It Green launched with. From day one, 10% of our turnover was committed to supporting their work, long before the business made any profit. That choice was intentional. Housing sits at the heart of safety, mental health, work, and dignity. Without a secure home, everything else becomes harder to hold together.
Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home. Their work supports people facing homelessness, unsafe housing, harassment, and housing systems that are difficult to navigate without help. They step in where personal crisis meets structural failure, staying with people long enough to help them regain stability and control.
How Shelter supports people
Shelter is a national housing and homelessness charity providing free advice, advocacy, and legal support across the UK. Their focus is on early help, supporting people before housing problems escalate into crisis.
They work with individuals facing eviction, homelessness, harassment, or unsafe living conditions, helping them deal with local authorities, housing providers, and legal processes. Alongside this frontline support, Shelter challenges the systems that allow housing insecurity to persist, combining practical help with long-term change.
Housing problems rarely exist in isolation. They are often tied to mental health, trauma, family pressure, and financial stress, which is why Shelter’s joined-up approach matters.
In Greater Manchester, Shelter, Back on Track, and The Big Life Group collaborate to deliver Early Help Adults, a preventative support service for adults at risk of homelessness. The following case studies from Early Help Adults show how this early intervention works in practice, and the difference it can make at very different points in someone’s life.
G.K’s story
G.K moved into her home with her three children, hoping for stability. Instead, she experienced four years of repeated harassment from local youths. Windows were smashed, fireworks were set off outside her property, her front door was kicked in at night, and her car was vandalised beyond repair.
Despite reporting incidents to the police, the harassment continued. The impact on her mental health and on her children’s well-being was severe. She applied to move home and was placed on Band 2 of the housing register, facing a wait of more than two years.
With early support and advocacy, the focus shifted from waiting to action. G.K was supported to gather evidence, engage her housing provider, and push for practical safety measures. Target hardening was introduced, including a Ring doorbell, motion-sensitive lighting, and fireproof letterbox protection.
Within weeks, the harassment largely stopped. Her anxiety eased, and the constant fear reduced. With stability restored, her priorities changed. She began focusing on work, updating her CV, applying for roles, and preparing for interviews. A home that had felt unlivable became safe again.
John’s story
John’s situation was different, but the risks were just as serious.
When he was first supported, he was homeless and sofa surfing, living with long-term trauma, poor mental health, and the pressures of probation. He had little trust in services and faced a real risk of disengaging completely, with thoughts of self-harm and a high likelihood of re-offending.
Housing assessments marked him as non-priority. Mental health support involved long waiting lists. Adult social care thresholds left him without formal support. As probation involvement ended, the risk of everything collapsing increased.
Through referral into Early Help for Adults and coordinated partnership working, support continued without interruption. Time was taken to build trust, address immediate needs, and advocate persistently across services.
John accessed specialist mental health support sooner than expected, received help with finances and benefits, and was supported to gather evidence for housing. Within months, he was offered a social housing flat. He has not re-offended and has avoided crisis services. He now has stability, ongoing support, and the chance to rebuild his life.
Why early support matters
Housing insecurity quietly erodes lives. Waiting for crisis costs individuals, families, and public services far more than acting early. Shelter’s work shows what happens when people receive support before they reach breaking point.
Early help restores safety, protects mental health, and prevents long-term harm. It creates space for people to plan for the future rather than react to constant risk.
Why we support Shelter
Shelter remains a chosen partner because social justice and environmental action are linked. A fairer future depends on secure homes alongside climate action and nature repair. Supporting Shelter reflects a belief that businesses should contribute to both.
That belief shaped Play It Green at launch and continues to guide our choices today.
If you would like to get involved with supporting Shelter through fundraising, campaigning, volunteering or taking part in sponsored challenge events (skydiving, bungee jumping, hiking, marathons, etc), please contact Rosie Harris, the Regional Community Fundraiser for Greater Manchester at rosie_harris@shelter.org.uk, and follow @sheltergreatermanchester on Instagram for news about our upcoming events in the region.
Quotes
Shelter Head of Community Fundraising, Lindsay Tilson Jones
“We are delighted that Play It Green has committed to Shelter and our vital work defending the right to a safe home. With their help, we can continue to support as many people as possible who are impacted by the housing emergency this winter and beyond.”
Play It Green Founder, Richard Dickson
“Shelter was one of the first charities we chose to support, before Play It Green ever made a profit, because housing sits at the centre of everything. If someone doesn’t feel safe at home, nothing else really works. What Shelter does is step in early, stay with people, and help them find stability again. That kind of support changes lives, and it’s exactly the sort of impact we believe businesses should stand behind.”
If you enjoyed this article on Shelter, why not support them and become part of a community creating positive change by partnering with Play It Green?
We help you reduce your footprint, repair the planet, and regive to social causes that matter, all through simple, measurable actions that fit your life and business.
Modern employees, consumers, and investors want to see impact, not promises. With Play It Green, your sustainability journey becomes visible, credible, and rewarding.
Join us today and turn good intentions into lasting results.
