Prince William calls for end to homelessness at Centrepoint Awards

The Prince of Wales called for homelessness to end in a passionate speech at Wednesday evening’s Centrepoint Awards.

The royal, who has been patron of Centrepoint since 2005, attended the annual awards at the British Museum. The Centrepoint Awards recognises the young people who have taken strides to end their periods of homelessness and turn their lives around.

In a speech, William praised the young people gathered, saying that “they have not only overcome homelessness to achieve their personal ambitions, but they are also all contributing to the communities in which they live – be that through teaching, fundraising or volunteering.”

Ending homelessness has been a cornerstone cause for William. As a child, he made visits to Centrepoint and other homelessness charities with his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. He remained committed to this throughout his life and launched Homewards UK for his 40^th birthday, with a goal of eliminating homelessness and working to help communities launch housing and social initiatives to end it in their areas.

William said that ending homelessness “will require a movement that creates systemic change. A change that focuses on prevention rather than management. And one that ensures all young people have truly affordable options to live and thrive independently.”

He commended those in attendance for the work they do to help end homelessness and said that “we must remain optimistic by the progress that we see and the stories of success we hear” but that there is “still so much more to do.”

The royal’s attendance at the Centrepoint Awards came on the heels of a new trailer for his upcoming ITV documentary Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, which airs at the end of the month and focuses on the first year of Homewards UK.

In the trailer, he says: “I think everyone having a right to a safe and stable home benefits us all. I come with no other agenda than desperately trying to help people who are in need.”

Kensington Palace posted about the Centrepoint Awards on social media, writing: “The @centrepointuk Award winners and finalists have overcome so much and achieved incredible things in leadership, education and their communities.

“Congratulations to you all!”