THE Halesowen branch of Yorkshire Building Society is holding its first action day in a new three year charity partnership with End Youth Homelessness.

EYH brings together local charities as a national movement to end homelessness among 16-25 year-olds in the UK.

Yorkshire Building Society aims to raise £750,000 over the course of the partnership to support over 700 homeless young people into their own rented homes, in Dudley borough last year 233 youngsters needed help.

The action day is on Friday, March 3, and staff at the branch in the Cornbow Shopping Centre will be raising funds for EYH selling EYH trolley coin key rings, holding a “give our bear a home” competition and having a cake sale.

Lorna Kendrick, manager of the Halesowen branch of Yorkshire Building Society, said: “We are proud to launch our new partnership with End Youth Homelessness and hope our customers and members of the public in Halesowen really get behind us.

“Our action days will raise funds for rental deposit guarantees, home essentials grants, and practical help for homeless young people seeking to live independently.

She added: “This partnership is at the heart of what we do at Yorkshire Building Society. As an organisation we pride ourselves on helping people become financially secure and achieve everything they can, including having a place to call home.”

EYH was founded in 2010 by EYH member charity Centrepoint, after its patron, Prince William, HRH the Duke of Cambridge, challenged the charity to end youth homelessness.

Rosie Mellor, partnership manager for End Youth Homelessness, said: “Every year 83,000 young people are homeless in the UK. Through our partnership with Yorkshire Building Society we will not only be supporting 700 homeless young people into their own rented homes, we will also aim to break down the barriers that homeless young people face.

For more information please visit www.ybs.co.uk/your-society.