With over 170,000 registered charities in the UK*, choosing a cause to support can be an overwhelming task. This complicated decision could involve balancing your own personal opinions, considering what charities align with your organisation strategically and evaluating the impact of your support nationally or locally.
But SIFA Fireside’s vision that every adult in Birmingham can live a future without homelessness is no doubt close to the heart of many people in our city.
SIFA Fireside is a charity which stands by the people who are facing, at risk of, or in recovery from the effects of homelessness. Our Support Centre in Digbeth is open as a warm space for people offering showers, hot breakfasts and lunches, laundry services and fresh clothing for rough sleepers. Our service extends beyond providing for these essential needs though, as our frontline teams also support people who have no recourse to public funds, people in Exempt Accommodation and people who have multiple disadvantages.
We rely on your organisations’ support to ensure that we can continue this work long into the future. Choosing to partner with SIFA Fireside means supporting us in ways that best fit with your business. This includes organising your own fundraisers or taking part in SIFA organised events, supporting with practical projects, volunteering in our Support Centre or providing your expertise to staff so they are better able to support those most vulnerable in Birmingham. As well as meeting your corporate social responsibility as a business, your team can benefit from increased morale and motivation knowing you’ll be making an impact in your local community.
With regards to impact, in 2025 SIFA Fireside supported 2032 individuals who were at risk of, facing, or in recovery from homelessness. We carried out 32,792 supportive actions with these individuals, which range from arranging a copy of a client’s birth certificate, supporting a client in challenging their landlord, or helping a client to access local services in their community to combat social isolation.
Commenting on their corporate partnership, Co-Founder of Our Training Department (OTD), Andy Crotty shared “We support SIFA Fireside because their work transforms the lives of people experiencing homelessness in our city.”
“Our team always come back buzzing from the volunteer sessions in the Support Centre, and the approach the SIFA staff take towards their volunteers feels like a real and valued partnership. Their compassionate, practical support aligns with our values at OTD, and we’re proud to play a small part in helping them create dignity and stability for those who need it most.”
Robb Sheppard, Head of Fundraising and Communications at SIFA Fireside, added “Choosing SIFA Fireside as your Charity of the Year is a great way to show your commitment to supporting our city’s most marginalised people as they move towards living a happy and healthier life.”
“We’re grateful that most of our corporate partners, like OTD, Colemans and Gowling have kindly chosen to continue our partnership for the long term and carry on supporting the charity”.
However, the challenges that homelessness presents needs a community to address them together, and during a difficult time for public donations, support from corporate partners has never been more essential. Partnering with us doesn’t have to be a year-long commitment, so you can still support homelessness as a cause even if you’ve already chosen your Charity of the Year.
To make a difference to the lives of those that need it the most, get in touch with us at fundraising@sifafireside.co.uk so we can arrange an informal chat about how a corporate partnership with us could work for you.
