Established 2005 Registered Charity No. 1110656

Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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RECENT TWEETS

Cold snap

May 23 2009
With one Derry man already dead from hypothermia, what are homelessness organisations planning? As the colder nights draw in the plight of street homeless has made its annual return to the mainstream media. Last month, a police inspector in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, called into a local radio show to voice his concerns that unless something was done to help those sleeping out in his city, many could die this winter. Inspector Paul Deacon joined a discussion about groups of people living under duvets in the John Street area of the city. The life of one man, Eamonn Anderson, 40, had already been claimed by hypothermia in mid-October. A local businessman had donated a temporary shelter to Derry's homeless; rough sleepers called it "a godsend". In London, Westminster council confirmed it would utilise 200+ on-street staff to look out for rough sleepers in sub-zero temperatures. Also, a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is in operation, with a number of organisations in the city using Met Office predictions to help them provide additional bed spaces when the temperature plummets. Mick Clarke, of The Passage, Victoria (one of the service providers for SWEP), added that it would provide more beds even if the protocol had not been activated. "While our priority is to help those sleeping rough to find shelter and support, we strongly advocate a humane approach by all relevant authorities to those who continue to sleep on the streets, even in the worst of the winter weather," he added, drawing particular focus towards the number of migrants who often end up on the streets without recourse to any public funds or benefits. Those left outdoors without support were also the focus of Housing Justice. Spokesperson Sally Leigh explained that, as a faith-based organisation, it hoped churches across the city would continue to open their doors to offer respite to people unable or unwilling to use the hostel system between December and March. "Some of our guests are not eligible to gain access to local authority hostel accommodation, as they cannot prove sufficient local connection," she said. "Others are not deemed vulnerable enough to warrant help, as they do not have drug or alcohol problems and their mental health is intact. Others do not wish to go into traditional hostels or cannot get into them, as there are not enough spaces."
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