NEWS
HOMELESSNESS
HOMELESSNESS
Army calls for government to focus on rough sleeping causes THQ THE Salvation Army has warned that the government cannot end rough sleeping unless it tackles the causes behind it. New figures show that 70 per cent of rough sleepers in London need support for mental health, drug or alcohol problems. Assistant Territorial Director for Homelessness Services (South) Major Hilarie Watchorn said: ‘The government has made a welcome pledge to spend at least £640 million a year tackling homelessness and rough sleeping by 2024. This could be a game-changer, but only if the money is invested in the right places. ‘As a major provider of homelessness and addiction services, we know from experience that it takes more than a roof over their heads to help people break the cycle of rough sleeping. At our Lifehouses and our pop-up accommodation, we combine shelter with therapeutic and emotional support to help people transition from the streets to a permanent home. ‘Mental health and addiction problems can be both the cause and the result of living on the streets. Worryingly, more people are sleeping rough today than 10 years ago, while local authority funding to tackle mental health and addiction problems has gone down.’ The Salvation Army provides a variety of schemes for rough sleepers, as it believes that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Services for mental health and addiction problems are embedded in its Lifehouses and community programmes. Housing First provides supported accommodation for long-term rough sleepers who have addictions or mental health problems. NAPpads are temporary, one-person selfcontained shelters that offer rough sleepers a warm and safe place to sleep, with technology to raise the alarm if they stop breathing. Hilarie continued: ‘The government has yet to lay out how the money it has committed to end rough sleeping will be spent. If it is to succeed in keeping people off the streets, it’s critical the government invests in the services that can change lives for good.’ – AR 4
Salvationist 28 May 2022
Pop-up pods help tackle homelessness in Sheffield SHEFFIELD POP-up accommodation to house entrenched rough sleepers is helping to tackle homelessness. Each sleeping pod provides a bed, a chemical toilet and charging facilities. They help people who have been sleeping on the streets and have complex needs so might struggle in hostelstyle accommodation. As part of a pilot scheme, The Salvation Army has provided two pods, made by Amazing Grace Spaces, with Sheffield city council providing support to the clients to help them move into more permanent accommodation. The Salvation Army runs two Lifehouses in Sheffield – Charter Row houses up to 57 single men and Lincoln Court houses 11 women. Service manager Andy Parkinson, who manages both Lifehouses, said: ‘In just a couple of months, we have seen a real difference in the two clients who have been placed in [the pods]. They are more engaged with mental health and housing services. One has now been offered a flat and the other has been referred into long-term supported housing.’ One client, who had been sleeping on the streets for more than a year, said: ‘It’s stopped me from being cold. It’s basically kept me and helped me find myself again. Because of this I’m actually now getting my own flat. I’m hoping to get back to trying to have a normal life. They should have thousands more of these pods, as they would help a lot of people.’ – AR
FUNDRAISING TEDDINGTON AND WATFORD The removals and storage firm Pickfords teamed up with corps members to distribute surplus toys to safe houses and families in need in the Birmingham area. Pickfords also donated extra care packages to be provided along with the toys. The arrangements were made through Captain Mark Scoulding (Watford), as a result of his work with Employment Plus. – EW
70%
of London’s rough sleepers need added support SEE PAGE 4
£2,000 raised at concert for Ukraine SEE PAGE 5
140
years of Chatham Band SEE PAGE 5
