TIME is running out for organisations that are working with homeless people in Worcest-ershire to apply for a share of £500,000.

The Spark project is a major new partnership between the Government, the private sector and leading social enterprises The TREES Group and Big Issue Invest - the finance arm of the publishers of The Big Issue magazine - to prevent and tackle homelessness using social enterprise.

Spark is calling for organisations providing accommodation, training and employment and well-being services for homeless people to pitch to win a share of the six-figure-sum to offer more people a permanent route off the streets.

John Montague, TREES group chief executive, said: "We've seen first-hand how social enterprise can have a massive impact on communities and individuals, offering training, employment and development, creating wealth and raising self-esteem.

"We want to sow the seed of enterprise into organisations that are already doing excellent work with homeless people, but know they could achieve more given the right support."

Social enterprises need to submit their business case to the project's website www. sparkchallenge.org before Fri-day, February 18.

A shortlist of the top 15 applicants will be announced later in the month, and each will receive coaching in preparation for a Dragon's Den-style pitch event in April.