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Public urged to help homeless 'find a place to stay'

Getty Images A row of pop-up tents on a street pavement with rubbish, including an old office chair and a traffic cone in the foregroundGetty Images
Wiltshire Council has helped more than 275 rough sleepers in the last 12 months

People wanting to help those sleeping rough this winter have been asked to contact special outreach teams.

Wiltshire Council has shared first-hand experiences of the homeless, with the aim of inspiring people to help others "find a warm place to stay".

In the last 12 months the Rough Sleepers Team has supported more than 275 people sleeping on the streets.

"If you see someone sleeping rough let us know so our team can step in and start helping," said cabinet member for housing, Councillor Phil Alford.

Getty Images A rough sleeper sitting by a bus stop on a busy town pavement, wearing a rain coat with the hood up and leaning against a rucksack with a plastic bag beside himGetty Images
People are being urged to contact the Rough Sleepers Team if they see anyone homeless this winter

Alice - not her real name - had been sleeping rough with her partner in a tent.

They were helped to move into a hostel and eventually into their own home where they now feel settled.

Alice explained: "I love being in my own place; day to day I can get up and make coffee, tea, whatever I want and sit, watch telly or listen to the radio."

"Obviously if you need help you can get in contact with the Rough Sleepers Team. They will come out and find you and give you good support."

The council said that due to additional government funding, there were an extra 15 bed spaces available in Wiltshire.

It said a number of people had been helped to return to employment, voluntary work or college courses.

Three long-term rough sleepers, who in total had slept rough for 54 years, have also been moved into accommodation.

Overcoming 'barriers'

"We have put serious investment into this area to create new bed spaces and we have a strong Rough Sleepers Team, so that ongoing support is available for people to make that transition from being on the streets into a warm home," added Mr Alford.

Geraldine Roast, one of the team members, said: "It's our job to help them with barriers; it could be with not being with a GP, it could be that they've not got benefits in place, it could be that they're in debt or have housing related issues.

"We want to support them in the hope that they do eventually get their forever home. Everybody deserves to have a home."

The public are advised that the Rough Sleepers Team can be contacted via Streetlink.

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