A man from Kenya who was sleeping rough in Reading has sadly died after freezing to death.
Kepha Otundo was living at a tent encampment in Abbatiors Road near Reading town centre.
He was sadly reported dead earlier this year on January 10.
A Reading Borough Council spokesperson said: “The council was deeply saddened to hear that a man sleeping rough had died in the town, and our thoughts are with his family and everybody who knew him.
“The individual was known to our local St Mungo’s team, who deliver outreach support for people sleeping rough on behalf of the Council, since May last year.
“As is the case for many individuals who sleep rough, this was a complex case and over a number of months he was regularly offered support by our partner agencies.
“That was also the case during the cold spell around Christmas when he was offered emergency accommodation multiple times.
“This included a bed space as part of the council’s Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which was originally accepted by the individual but later declined.
“The space and offer of accommodation, including an offer within Reading’s winter shelter which opens 7-days a week between January and March every year, remained open to him right up until his sad passing.
“St Mungo’s Outreach teams are out in Reading every day of the year, late at night and early in the morning.
“They build trust with people experiencing homelessness and engage with people living in encampments such as these, in order to help them to access support and to try to prevent tragedies such as these from occurring.”
Mr Otundo’s sad passing has been reported by the Way Ministry and the New Beginnings charity in Great Knollys Street, which is situated near where he was living.
People were spotted living in tents opposite New Beginnings last October.
The council spokesperson said: “Whilst the council had obtained a possession order for the site, it did not need to be enforced as the site was vacated via engagement to assist people with moving on to new accommodation.
“The support we offer to people runs all year round, not just during periods of extreme temperatures.
“We commission vital services from Reading’s community and voluntary sector to accommodate and support people rough sleeping at any time.
“Over 250 supported accommodation bed spaces (in addition to those offered during a 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.
“If anyone has any concerns about people sleeping rough in Reading, we would ask them to report it to www.thestreetlink.org.uk to notify our local Street Outreach Service of their location so that the teams can visit and offer support.
A celebration of life service was held in Mr Otundo’s memory at Reading West Seventh-day Adventist Church in Portman Road today (Tuesday, January 27).
Councillor Rob White (Green, Park), leader of the opposition on the council, said: “I am deeply saddened that one of our Reading residents – Mr Otundo – has frozen to death while sleeping rough.
“I am angry that the Labour government isn’t doing more to end rough sleeping!
“During Covid, everyone was housed, but now rough sleeping is at an all-time high in Reading.
“It is a sign of the times that at the last council budget meeting Labour councillors cut the core rough sleeping budget by £76,000.
“We need a government that prioritises helping those in need and puts an end to our residents sleeping rough.”
