Sleeping Rough
Cllr Colleen Atkins, portfolio holder for Homelessness and
Community Wellbeing at Bedford Borough Council will be sleeping
rough on Saturday 3rd March from
7pm – 7am, in the car park area
at Bedford High School for Girls, as she takes part in the
YMCA SleepEasy event.
There has been an increase in the number of
rough sleepers nationwide. The Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave
Hodgson, also slept rough in Bedford this month to highlight this
issue, and generate funds for The Kings Arms project.
Cllr Atkins, said: “I’m sleeping under the
stars to raise awareness about the serious issue of homeless
young people. I also want to raise money for this
good cause.
Bedford Borough Council is working in
partnership with the YMCA to develop a Supported Lodgings and Crash
Pad scheme for young people who find themselves homeless. This
provides a supported alternative to sleeping rough or sofa
surfing.
There is no reason for anyone to sleep rough
in Bedford, as the borough has a wide range of statutory and
voluntary services that have contact with those sleeping rough.
However, we hope that by taking this action ourselves, it will
generate funds and highlight the services and agencies on offer
that serve to help ensure such individuals are reached and
prevented from being forced to live on our streets. I am fully
kitted out with warm clothing and sleeping attire and just hope
that the night goes by quickly, and that I am not too cold, so I
manage to actually get some sleep!”
Bedford has a total of 17 rough sleepers on
its streets. There are a number of factors that have influenced
this figure, it would appear 10 out of the 17 individuals did not
have an established local connection to Bedford and have been
attracted by the range of support services we have on offer. The
Council is also aware that 11 of the 13 rough sleepers, with
recourse to public funds, are currently choosing not to engage with
any support service, despite concerted efforts across agencies.
A crucial part of the approach to support
Rough Sleepers and to provide humanitarian protection during the
cold winter months is the Salvation Army’s Night Café which is run
with funding from Bedford Borough Council & the NHS. The Night
Café opens when temperatures are predicted to be 0oC or
below and enables people sleeping rough to have some food and
somewhere warm to go, particularly those who cannot access other
accommodation like the Nightshelter (either by choice or because
they were banned from using the services or could not claim Housing
Benefit). The registered charity BeCHaR
(Bedford Concern for the Homeless &
Rootless) also ran its Christmas Relief in Bedford (CRIB)
again this year at its Prebend Street Centre, where it is open for
extended periods over the festive period.
Bedford Borough Council have recently been
successful in securing further funding from the Department of
Health Warm Homes Healthy People fund that will expand the scope
and availability of the Night Café in cold weather by an estimated
extra 15 days.
Every £30 Cllr Atkins manages to
raise will provide a Crash Pad bed for one night for one
homeless young person, and £50 will provide a room and much
more support.
For more information on how to get involved in
the YMCA SleepEasy event contact Dele Johnson or
Amy Elliott on 01234 307040 or email sleepeasy@ymcabedfordshire.gov.uk
If you would like to sponsor Cllr Atkins, you
can do so via her Just Giving page at http://www.justgiving.com/Cllr-Colleen-Atkins