By Cllr Jason Brock
Reading has a proud history of caring for and helping its own, particularly those most in need. When the weather turns colder, as it did last week, the thoughts of many of us focus even more on those who are sleeping rough on our streets.
That’s why last week we activated our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) response, working alongside our charity partner St Mungo’s. This is an essential part of our programme of assistance in place to protect the most vulnerable from the elements, with emergency accommodation in self-contained rooms triggered by temperatures of 0°C or lower for three consecutive nights.
We’ll continue to monitor forecasts and temperatures every week throughout the winter to ensure that at the most critical times we can keep everyone safe.
While our thoughts do naturally turn to those less fortunate than ourselves at this time of year, we’re also working hard all year round with a range of partners to provide those sleeping rough with opportunities to break the cycle and find somewhere to call home.
And partnership working is absolutely vital, because those sleeping rough invariably require complex and comprehensive wraparound support.
Our wide range of services commissioned and provided to accommodate and support rough sleepers also includes the Salvation Army, Reading YMCA, and Launchpad Reading. In all, 249 bed spaces (in addition to our SWEP response) are offered across our Homelessness Support Services to help single people and couples who are found rough sleeping, or at risk of rough sleeping.
This number includes 50 ‘move on homes’ in the borough – 40 at the modular homes site on Caversham Road, and a further 10 at our Nova Project site for vulnerable women. This will enable us to continue the delivery of wrap-around support to those living at the sites, currently provided by St Mungo’s.
We also work in partnership with the faith, voluntary and community sector who provide additional support often through food handouts or warm spaces.
And we’ve broadened our support offer to enable extra outreach staff on the streets, including at weekends, providing accommodation for ex-offenders and employing a Housing First approach in addition to the 249 supported accommodation places that we commission to support people away from rough sleeping.
While we’re doing all we can, you have a role to play too to help us look after people. If you have seen someone bedded down who you are worried about, please use the ‘StreetLink’ mobile app, go to www.thestreetlink.org.uk, or call 0300 500 0914 to notify our local Street Outreach Service of their location so that the teams can visit them and offer accommodation and support.
Alternatively, they can drop into the Civic Offices on Bridge Street between 9am and 5pm on a weekday.
More information can be found on our website at: www.reading.gov.uk/roughsleeping
Cllr Jason Brock is the leader of Reading Borough Council and ward member for Southcote
