Homeless Oxfordshire welcomed 30 guests to a Business Breakfast at The Heyford Hotel, bringing together professionals from areas such as the legal, construction, media, creative and recruitment sectors to connect, share ideas and learn more about our work.
The highlight of the morning was an inspiring talk from Rob Smedley, who shared his journey into Formula 1. Growing up in Middlesbrough, where few of his schoolmates went on to sixth form, Rob spoke about discovering his passion for motorsport and working hard to build a career doing what he loved. He also shared stories from his time in F1 and explained how his work with Total Karting is helping to make the sport more accessible.
Rob highlighted that Formula 1 has traditionally been a predominantly white sport, often associated with wealth and privilege. Through Total Karting, he is working to open doors and create opportunities for people who might otherwise struggle to access the sport.
The morning also provided an opportunity to talk about the importance of corporate partnerships in tackling homelessness. Gavin Angell, Development Director at Dorchester Living, spoke about the company’s partnership with Homeless Oxfordshire and the difference this support makes in helping people rebuild their lives.
Corporate support is vital to our work. Partnerships with businesses help us provide the support people need to move away from homelessness and towards a more secure future.
The event received a fantastic response. One attendee commented: “What a fabulous Business Breakfast! Rob Smedley was so humble and unassuming, yet truly amazing!”
We would like to thank everyone who attended and helped make the morning such a success, with special thanks to The Heyford Hotel, owned by Dorchester Living, for hosting us.
Events like these bring people together around a shared purpose and help us build relationships that make a lasting difference to people experiencing homelessness.
For more information about corporate partnerships with Homeless Oxfordshire, please contact Tim Wraith at TimWraith@homelessoxfordshire.uk or on 07527 849748.
