'Going shopping shouldn't be a luxury': new CEO reveals plans for Wigan charity The Brick

“I think there is massive support from people in Wigan and it’s right that people have pride in their town, but they do want more for themselves and their children and their futures.”
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Those are the words of Keely Dalfen, the new chief executive officer for homelessness and poverty charity The Brick.

It is a big job, as the organisation continues to grow and demand for its help soars during the cost-of-living crisis, but the 48-year-old is ready for the challenge.

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Chief executive Keely Dalfen in The Brick's food pantry at St George's Centre in WiganChief executive Keely Dalfen in The Brick's food pantry at St George's Centre in Wigan
Chief executive Keely Dalfen in The Brick's food pantry at St George's Centre in Wigan
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Keely, who lives in Appley Bridge with her husband and two daughters, already knows the scale of the challenge, having joined The Brick as a volunteer four years ago and later becoming an employee.

She said: “I’m really excited. It is daunting because of the overwhelming need. Some days you think, ‘Is it ever going to get any better?’ But we are here to think it will get better and it has to get better. It’s demanding that from society and saying it doesn’t have to be like this.”

Keely previously worked in finance and volunteered for several charities, including the NSPCC.

She says she has “always had a real passion for social justice” and decided to help The Brick after seeing more homeless people while she was working in Manchester and London.

Keely Dalfen joined The Brick as a volunteer four years ago and is now its CEOKeely Dalfen joined The Brick as a volunteer four years ago and is now its CEO
Keely Dalfen joined The Brick as a volunteer four years ago and is now its CEO
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Keely initially did voluntary work on the charity’s accounts, before being employed as the organisation grew. She helped The Brick to secure funding by writing bids and worked as finance and commercial director until taking the helm.

She said: "I love my job. I feel really lucky. I have found a job that isn’t like a job. I think I would do it anyway – I did it two days a week as a volunteer for a while and it’s progressed from there. I never thought I would be doing it full-time.”

While Keely is a familiar face at The Brick, it will not be business as usual, as she is determined to make a difference to both the charity and those it supports.

She said: “I think over the last 10-plus years of austerity and crisis on top of crisis, for lots of people, the most vulnerable people, the world has shrunk and the inequality very much increased.

Keely Dalfen, the new chief executive of The BrickKeely Dalfen, the new chief executive of The Brick
Keely Dalfen, the new chief executive of The Brick
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"I want to say we can open people’s eyes again and put some colour back in people’s eyes and give that little bit of hope that we are here for everybody that needs us.”

Demand for support is soaring, as people struggle to make ends meet due to inflation and rising bills, lose their jobs, landlords evict tenants and relationships break down.

The charity offers help in a wide range of ways, including providing accommodation, supplying food, helping people to learn new skills and supporting them to rebuild their lives.

Its outreach team verified 67 people were rough sleeping in January – up from 40 people in the same month last year.

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Around 800 people are registered with its food pantry and there were 1,716 food shops in December.

A wider range of people are now seeking help than before, such as those in work and skilled employees who have lost their jobs, and Keely is expecting demand to keep rising.

While The Brick helps people in dire straits, Keely is keen to provide more preventative help for those facing poverty, before they become homeless.

Already in place are projects handing out coats, slow cookers and toiletries, so people can use these key items and spend their money elsewhere, such as on rent.

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She said: “We have seen this huge increase in complexity in need. It’s affecting everybody and everybody is worrying about what the bills will be like.

"I think The Brick has always been seen as a homelessness charity, but we have to remember that homelessness is a function of poverty and often it stems from poverty. By going back to the basic objective of the charity when it was set up as Queen’s Hall Action on Poverty reminds us we can do prevention work as well.”

The Brick has produced a new five-year business plan and its themes include housing, personal development, health and well-being, skills and employment, and financial sustainability.

Housing is a big focus for the charity, with £200,000 recently secured from the Government for new emergency accommodation for adults and plans to add to its current housing stock so people can have a home of their own.Keely said: “We want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, because housing has become a commodity and we believe that people have a right to a safe place to call home.”

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People need more than just a roof over their heads, so The Brick will also support them to develop their skills, choose nutritious food and have access to healthcare.

One way of doing this is by teaching digital skills, as some people do not have access to the internet and many everyday tasks are now done online.

Keely is also looking to increase the number of shops run by the charity and expand its Gearing Up project, as these not only support people on low incomes buying from them, they are a source of income for The Brick.

Keely is keen for The Brick to work with other organisations and businesses, so people can be signposted to the right place for help.

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And she wants to make sure the charity is standing up for people in Wigan.

“We want to really be embedded in the community and doing the right thing for Wigan and Leigh. We want to stand up and say let’s not pretend things are normal, because they aren’t. Going shopping shouldn’t be a luxury,” she said.

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