A YOUTH charity and solicitors’ in Cirencester celebrated their 30th birthdays together last week in Cirencester.

Cirencester Housing For Young People (CHYP) and Alison Fielden and co. were in a party mood on Thursday as they co-hosted a cake sale to commemorate their 30-year anniversaries.

Alison Fielden and co. have support CHYP for a number of years and it is the third charity cake sale they have held in aid of the charity.

The solicitors’ owner, Alison Fielden, said she first came into contact with their work when she was working in criminal law, defending young people.

“While I was representing young defendants and I met the CHYP team who would support their young people as their appropriate adult,” she said.

“CHYP fills a very useful gap, as you may think of the Cotswolds as an affluent area, but there are still homeless young people who need somewhere to live.

“This is something that CHYP can provide that the authorities can’t.

“It is so important to look after young people: they are the future.

“Whenever we do charity events we usually include CHYP as they are one of our favourite charities.

“We’ve done this cake sale for three years but wanted to make this a special one.

“We always enjoy do it. Everyone makes homemade cakes and it’s a great chance to see people out in the town.”

Andy Johnson, chairman of CHYP, says young homeless people can be left stranded in the UK.

The charity was set up in 1986 and they bought their first house for young people in 1988.

“If you’re homeless and have no postal code, you’re stuck in this country,” he said.

“Find me a form without having to put your post code in. To get trained or educated you have to have an address.

“We provide that and give young people help in filling in the forms and doing all the things that a parent would normally do.”

For more information on CHYP visit chypthecharity.org.uk