Powerful conversations on homelessness and fuel poverty at the Eisteddfod

An honest and insightful session took place yesterday at the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol in Wrexham, where attendees gathered at Y Sfferen to explore the pressing issues of homelessness and how the housing sector is responding to fuel poverty in Wales.

Organised by M-Sparc and facilitated by Olwen Williams, the discussion featured contributions from Siôn Hughes, Policy & Delivery Director at Adra, and Siân Elen Tomos, CEO of Gisda. Adra is a leading social housing provider in the region, while Gisda supports vulnerable young people aged 14 to 25, particularly those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The conversation explored the challenges of retrofitting homes to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) and trying to ensure that people are living in a home that is suitable for them for both comfort and affordability. Gisda works with both social housing providers like Adra and private landlords, recognising the importance of both in providing safe homes for vulnerable young people.

Siân Elen Tomos said: “We work with some great landlords who really make a difference by providing a safe home for our young people. We need more single occupancy homes in Gwynedd to meet the demand that we’re seeing.”

Siôn Hughes responded with Adra’s plans:

“Adra has committed to building 800 new homes in the next 5 years and investing £85m in our existing housing stock. We recognise that more homes are needed to address the housing crisis and that we also need to invest to ensure that every home we are responsible for is warm and up to standard.”

Adra also runs a project from its decarbonisation hub in Penygroes, Tŷ Gwyrddfai, aimed at helping unemployed young people into work. Named Academi Adra, its most popular course is in construction. Many attendees are Adra tenants who gain work experience, with some progressing to paid placements and employment. The construction industry needs more tradespeople to build these homes, and Adra are looking at practical solutions – by sourcing talent from within their communities.

The session concluded with a lively Q&A, reinforcing the importance of partnership, innovation, and empathy in tackling homelessness and climate challenges in housing.