Dorit Young (back row, third from right) makes a donation to the Museum of Homelessness

THE mother of a young woman who died unexpectedly four years ago has given a vital funding boost to the Finsbury Park homelessness charity where her daughter volunteered throughout the pandemic.

Islington resident Dorit Young’s £4,000 donation to the Museum of Homelessness kicked off the charity’s winter appeal this week.

As well as supporting a local organisation, Ms Young’s donation is a way to honour the legacy of her daughter, Gaia Young, who volunteered with the Museum of Homelessness before she died of a still unexplained brain condition hours after being admitted to University College Hospital London in July 2021, aged 25.

Museum director Jess Turtle said: “It is our honour to receive this donation in memory of Gaia.

“We started this community work properly in the pandemic and she was on our original Homeless Taskforce. We were out on the streets every day in early lockdown, 56 days in a row.

“She must have made hundreds of cheese and pickle sandwiches. We’d meet every day, make these sandwiches and take them out.

“If Gaia was still with us, she would be out on the streets ensuring that people in every corner of the borough have what they need.”

Gaia Young with Jess Turtle and museum staff helping the homeless during the pandemic

As the nights get colder and sleeping out becomes more dangerous, Ms Young’s donation will “really make a difference”, Ms Turtle added.

The Museum of Homelessness provides community meals to 60 people every week and hands out essential supplies like sleeping bags.

It also hosts art classes, a film club and operates as an emergency shelter for those who feel intimidated by larger shelters during particularly cold nights.

“We’re trying to encourage other community groups to make cosy shelters that people want to go into. The shelter network is life or death in winter,” said Ms Turtle.

Ms Young told the Tribune it was a “pleasure” to sign a cheque when you “know it will be used to save lives”.

She added: “The plan is to support people who have the hardest lives, but also in memory of Gaia.”

Indeed, Ms Young made an unexpected link with the Museum of Homelessness before she had even decided to make her donation – when she was giving away Gaia’s art materials and the Museum’s art teacher was the one to come and collect them.

She said: “Gaia was always incredibly socially astute. She was very clever but she never wanted to put herself above anybody. She would rather hold back so that the other person doesn’t feel outdone.

“Three days before she died, I cut off her hair because she had heard about a charity that makes wigs for children who lost their hair to cancer.”

• Ms Young’s campaign for answers about why and how Gaia died can be found at truthforgaia.com
• Support the Museum of Homelessness at https://tinyurl.com/3uktutzh