Businesses across the Midlands are being urged to swap boardrooms for walking boots this summer as St Basils launches Hike for Homeless 2026, a powerful team challenge with real impact for young people facing homelessness.
Taking place on Saturday 20 June 2026 at Kinver Edge and Wyre Forest, the event is calling on employers from across the region to bring teams together for a day of challenge, connection and purpose, while helping vulnerable young people build safer, more stable futures.
At a time when many organisations are looking for meaningful ways to support staff wellbeing, strengthen workplace culture and deliver visible social impact, Hike for Homeless 2026 offers a rare opportunity to do all three.
The call comes as youth homelessness continues to rise.
Across the UK, an estimated 123,934 young people aged 16 to 24 were homeless or at risk of homelessness in 2024/25, the equivalent of one young person every four minutes.
But the true figure is likely to be even higher.
Many young people experiencing homelessness are hidden homeless, not sleeping rough, but living in insecure and often invisible situations. Some are working full-time yet still have nowhere affordable to live, forced to sleep on a friend’s sofa, stay in overcrowded or unsafe temporary accommodation, or even sleep in their car because rents are so high and affordable housing is increasingly out of reach.
For businesses, these are not distant statistics.
They are the reality facing young people in communities across the Midlands, young people who should be building careers, gaining independence and planning their futures, but who instead are battling instability, insecurity and the daily uncertainty of not knowing where they will sleep.
St Basils, which supports young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, sees that reality every day.
The charity works with young people to prevent homelessness, secure safe accommodation and help them move forward into education, training and employment, giving them the support they need not just to survive, but to thrive.
By taking part in Hike for Homeless 2026, businesses can play a direct role in that work.
Whether entering a team of colleagues, using the event as part of a staff wellbeing programme or simply looking for a more meaningful alternative to the standard corporate away day, the hike offers employers a memorable shared experience that also delivers genuine community impact.
It is team building with purpose.
It is staff engagement with meaning.
And at a time when businesses are under growing pressure to demonstrate meaningful CSR and community leadership, it is a powerful way to show that your organisation is willing to step up for young people facing one of the toughest starts in life.
Participants will take on a scenic route through one of the region’s most striking landscapes, enjoying a day of challenge and camaraderie while raising vital funds to support St Basils’ life-changing work.
Every mile walked will help young people across the Midlands find and keep a home, build confidence and move towards a brighter future.
Barrie Hodge, Head of Fundraising and Communications at St Basils, said:
“Too many young people are trapped in hidden homelessness. Some are working full-time, doing everything they can to move forward, but still cannot afford a place of their own. They may be sofa surfing, staying in unsafe situations or even sleeping in their car because rents are so high and affordable housing is so hard to find.
“Hike for Homeless is a fantastic opportunity for businesses across the Midlands to bring their teams together, support staff wellbeing and make a genuine difference. We’re asking employers to step up, take part and help us show young people that their community has not given up on them.”
For businesses looking to combine team building, staff wellbeing and social impact, the message is simple:
Bring your team. Take on the challenge. Help change a young person’s future.
Event details
Event: St Basils Hike for Homeless 2026
Date: Saturday 20 June 2026
Location: Kinver Edge & Wyre Forest
Sign up: Via the St Basils website https://stbasils.org.uk/events/hike-for-homeless/
Or search St Basils Hike 4 Homeless 2026