Milton Keynes City Council have announced a scheme for new homes to accomodate young people at risk of homelessness.
The City Council announced a partnership with the Milton Keynes YMCA to accommodate 51 young people at risk of homelessness into new homes, with those who will benefit to be housed in one and two-bedroom properties that will be acquired with funding from Homes England.
Further support will be available through an accompanying grant of £500,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
MK City Council secured the funding as part of the Government’s Single Homelessness Accommodation scheme. People aged between 18-25 currently based at the YMCA’s campus in Central Milton Keynes will be given priority to move into these homes as part of wider work to reduce the risk of them returning to the streets.
Around 60% of young people housed by MKYMCA identify as having mental health needs, while 50% have a background of trauma. Residents at MKYMCA have access to a high level of support at the campus in the city centre, but there is a lack of affordable move-on accommodation available. The partnership between the city council and MKYMCA will give people the support they need and access to secure homes with affordable rents.
The city council is due to enter into a formal agreement with all partners involved in the project.
Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Ed Hume, said, “We know that access to affordable housing is a major issue, especially for young people. I’m proud that we have secured this funding and are working with MKYMCA to give these young people a more hopeful future after the challenges they have faced. A new home is more than just a roof over someone’s head, it’s a fresh opportunity to get settled, access work and build a better future.”
Northampton were beaten 1-0 in their opening day game away at Bristol Rovers after conceding a late goal.
Rovers debutant Bryant Bilongo scored an injury time goal to give the home side the three points, as Northampton slipped up in the final moments.
Defeat therefore sees Northampton start the campaign with zero points against a side they finished one place above in the League One table last season.
Jon Brady fielded two of his new signings from the start, with Cameron McGeehan and Callum Morton making the starting line-up, with four more on the bench, although illness, suspension and injury ruled out some of his other selection options.
Northampton nearly took the lead in unconventional fashion, as Morton charged down Josh Griffiths’ attempted clearance and saw the ball ricochet in to the net.
A tight opening phase had seen a few half-chances appear but Bristol Rovers then began to up the ante, and they came close as Lee Burge first denied Grant Ward and then made a better stop to deny a firm hit by Promise Omochere.
Isaac Hutchinson saw an effort blocked by Jordan Willis just after the break, before Luke Thomas and Omochere both missed the target with efforts.
Morton and Sam Hoskins both narrowly missed the target with efforts for Northampton as the game moved into the final 20 minutes.
Burge denied Kamil Conteh but it looked as though the game was set to end up as a draw as it moved into seven minutes of stoppage time.
That was, however, until Northampton’s defence was breached in the second minute of stoppage time. From Thomas’ corner, Bilongo forced it over the line for a debut goal and a winning goal.
Hoskins missed the target with an effort right at the end of stoppage time, but there was no equaliser forthcoming for the Cobblers.
Northampton will seek a first win of the campaign on Tuesday when they host fellow League One side Wycombe in the play-offs, before a first home league match of the new season against Exeter City at Sixfields on Saturday.
Former Northampton loan star Bowie has signed for Scottish side Hibernian.
Bowie, 21, has signed a 4-year contract with the Edinburgh-based side after joining for an undisclosed fee from previous parent club Fulham.
The Scotsman had a successful two seasons on loan at Sixfields, scoring 14 goals in 81 appearances to first help Northampton win promotion from League Two in the 2022/23 season and then comfortably achieve survival in the 2023/24 campaign.
Bowie’s career has also seen him win caps for the Scotland under-21s team.
The move to bring Bowie to Edinburgh makes him the 8th arrival at Easter Road for the new campaign as Hibs look to improve upon last season’s 8th place finish in the Scottish Premiership.
Hibernian FC Head Coach David Gray told the club’s official website of his delight to bring Bowie to the club.
He said, “Kieron is an exciting Scottish talent, and we’re thrilled to bring him to the Club.
“He can play anywhere across the front three and his pace and power will give us an extra dimension going forward. He has all the attributes to be a success in this league.
“Players of Kieron’s ability and potential are always in high-demand, so to sign of player of his calibre shows the ambition that we’ve got here.”
MK Dons began the 2024/25 season with a 2-1 home defeat to Bradford City at Stadium MK.
The visitors effectively took a two goal head-start as Alex Pattison and a Sam Sherring own goal gave the visitors a 2-0 lead with just five minutes on the clock.
Alex Gilbey grabbed a goal back for the hosts, but although the Dons created multiple opportunities, there was no way through for the home side as they slipped to defeat on the opening day.
The game began with a pre-match presentation marking the changing of the guard at Stadium MK.
The Dons’ opening day game came the day after it was announced that Pete Winkelman had sold the club 20 years on from founding MK Dons, with both Winkelman and the club’s incoming chairman Fahad Al Ghanim presented pitch-side before the game started.
Mike Williamson handed first league starts to seven of his summer signings, but former Dons boss Graham Alexander sprung on a surprise on his previous employers as Bradford made a rapid start.
Tyreik Wright laid the ball back to midfielder Pattison, who took one touch to made space for a shot before firing a long range shot beyond Tom McGill’s fingertips and in to give Bradford a second minute lead.
Just three minutes later, Bradford would pull further ahead. Wright’s first-time cross was intercepted by debutant defender Sherring, but the former Northampton man’s sliced clearance ended up in arcing it’s way into his own net to give the Yorkshire club a 2-0 lead with five minutes played.
MK Dons were threatening to get swept away, but the hosts managed to calm things down and with 20 on the clock, they cut the deficit. A slick pass by Callum Hendry released Gilbey, who skipped away from Brad Halliday, ran into the box and placed a low strike past Bradford’s Sam Walker.
This was the cue for the Dons to seek more, with a low deflected strike by Hendry kept out by Walker moments later.
MK Dons had their moments going forward, but Bradford still had something on the counter, although Andy Cook’s effort would miss the target, while the Dons were also lucky lost possession on the edge of their box didn’t lead to one of three Bradford players doing more than see shots blocked.
In first half stoppage time, MK Dons came very close to an equaliser, with Walker making a flying save to keep out Hendry and Gilbey have a shot blocked.
Something nearly opened up for the Dons in the early moments of the second half, with a covering defender doing just enough to put off Hendry, allowing Walker to claim the loose ball.
Bradford responded by nearly finding a way through themselves, with the ball falling for Cook, only for the striker to see his shot blocked by goalkeeper Tom McGill.
Stephen Wearne then inadvertently sent a cross away from goal when well placed, before a strike from Gilbey took a big deflection that nearly helped the ball creep into the back of the net.
An open game saw Wearne blast over when he reached the box before Jack Tucker ended up heading a Pattison cross-shot narrowly over his own bar.
MK Dons introduced Matt Dennis and the substitute would have a few opportunities, with one strike from range blocked and another deflected behind, before Wearne fired over from a cross by Aaron Nemane.
Dennis would see a shot saved by Walker, with Gilbey firing over the rebound, but after that, the Dons began to find the going harder in the final moments.
One last chance fell their way when substitute Tommy Leigh rifled over in injury time, but the Dons ran out of time to avoid slipping to an opening day reverse.
MK Dons: McGill – Sherring, Tucker, Lawrence – Nemane (Tripp 80), Kelly, Offord (Carroll 80), Tomlinson – Wearne (Leigh 70), Gilbey – Hendry (Dennis 66)
Subs not used: Harness, Lewington, Harrison
Goal: Gilbey (20)
Booked: Offord
Bradford: S. Walker – Baldwin, Byrne, Kelly – Halliday, Sarcevic (Oliver 85), Smallwood, Pattison, Wright (Odour 70) – Cook (J. Walker 70), Kavanagh (Shepherd 85)
Subs not used: Doyle, Walker, Young, Pointon
Goal: Pattison (3), Sherring (og 5)
Northampton Town have signed winger Tariqe Fosu on a free transfer, picking up the former Brentford man after a year without a club.
Fosu has signed a one year contract at Sixfields, and he will seek to make an impression after being unable to find a club for the 2023/24 season.
The 28-year-old is Northampton’s ninth signing ahead of the 2024/25 season, with the deal ratified ahead of the Cobblers’ season opener against Bristol Rovers later today (10/08).
Fosu is a former Ghana international, having picked up 4 caps with the West African nation.
After beginning his career with Reading, Fosu made a breakthrough on loan with Colchester in the 2016/17 season before two seasons as a regular with Charlton Athletic.
Fosu joined Oxford in 2019, making 25 appearances before signing for Brentford in January 2020.
The Ghanian would make 49 appearances in all competitions as helped Brentford win promotion to the Premier League, but he struggled for game time in the top flight, spending the 2022/23 season on loan at first Stoke and then Rotherham.
Cobblers boss Jon Brady told the club’s website that he was delighted to bring Fosu to the club.
He said, “Tariqe has a lot of ability and quality and we are really pleased to welcome him to Sixfields.
“He has pace and is very good on the ball and has the ability to play in a number of positions across the pitch.
“He has played a lot of his football at Championship level and his pedigree speaks for itself.
“Tariqe is a creative, attacking player and we think he is someone who can help take us forward and as such we are sure all supporters will join us in welcoming him to the club.”
