News / Society
25 temporary beds for the homeless announced
Twenty-five new temporary beds have been made available to rough sleepers as part of a continued attempt to tackle rising homelessness in the city.
Homelessness is at a peak not seen in Bristol since the 1990s, according to David Ingerslev, manager of the Compass Centre for homelessness support in Stokes Croft.
Despite 20 extra beds being announced before last Christmas, the council are still under pressure to fulfill their statutory duty to meet the needs of homeless people, many of whom have taken to pitching tents in parks.
is needed now More than ever
Alternative shelter is increasingly necessary as the council have begun using ASBO legislation to break up camps of tents.
The new temporary accommodation is part of the new rough sleeping task group set up by mayor George Ferguson in conjunction with national homelessness charity St Mungo’s Broadway.
Ferguson said: “We are now seeing the positive results of the commitments I made before Christmas with beds coming on line to offer more support for the most vulnerable people in the city.”
This short-term accommodation will be for clients waiting for a place in a hostel or supported accommodation. It offers a place to rest while a housing plan is assessed or until a hostel place becomes available.
Fifteen of the new beds have been supplied by faith based charities and are due to open in February. A shelter housing an additional 10 longer term places will make use of two empty buildings.
These council-led initiatives run alongside the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) which will provide 115 emergency beds for rough sleepers in the case of severe weather.
But the council still stress the need for these centres to be staffed. Volunteers are being called upon to help out overnight on a regular basis or as extra cover during cold weather.
Homelessness continues to be an ever-growing problem in Bristol, with roughly 50 to 70 rough sleepers out every night, a statistic three times higher than it was two years ago, with 400 to 500 families presenting themselves as homeless or at risk of becoming homeless every month.
Read more: 10 practical ways to help Bristol’s homeless