Roundabout Roses art installation has raised awareness of youth homelessness in the city by highlighting each young person’s unique journey.

The display ran by Roundabout, South Yorkshire’s youth homelessness charity, featured 1,800 handmade roses, one for every young person that they have supported in the last three years.

It took place at the Sheffield Cathedral from September 13 to October 28.

Emily Bush, Fundraising Manager and Campaign Creator said: “With Roundabout Roses we wanted to create something beautiful but shocking at the same time. 

“Unless it affects you directly, homelessness can be overlooked. But this powerful display shows exactly how many young people in South Yorkshire are affected.”

The roses were crafted by sculptor James Sutton and The Spitfire Forge, with each rose embodying the strength of youth homeless individuals, while challenging stereotypes and symbolising their potential to grow and flourish despite life’s challenges.

Mrs Bush said: “The flowers have the strength of steel, but the fragility of a rose, just like our young people. They have been through so much and yet they are resilient. They keep going. 

“So many of them go on to work in jobs which support other people because they want to change the system. They want to be that bright light for someone else.”

Last year, 136,000 young people in the UK declared themselves homeless, equating to one every four minutes.

Roundabout supports 380 young people every day, up from 150 people a day six years ago, providing emergency accommodation and supporting those aged 16 to 25 to live independently elsewhere.

Lydia Bramhall, who was referred to Roundabout at aged 17 said: “Roundabout has been like a family to me. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without them.

“My dad had his own struggles and the lockdown only made things worse. Things reached a breaking point and I left home. I started sofa surfing, carrying my belongings in black bin bags and sleeping where I could.”

The charity helped her secure a place in a female only hostel, and today she has her own flat whilst working as a peer educator for the charity and starting her degree at Sheffield Hallam University.

Each of the flowers is for sale, with Roundabout Roses hoping to raise around £70,000 to help pay for shelter and life skills sessions for vulnerable people at risk of homelessness.

Julie MacDonald, Trustee for Sheffield-based Roundabout, said: “When people take home a Roundabout Rose, it will be a symbol of hope. Each time they see it they will know they have made a difference to a young person’s life.”

Roundabout Roses can be reserved at the Sheffield Cathedral gift shop and online at roundaboutroses.co.uk. 

Mild steel roses cost £25, and stainless-steel roses cost £40.