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Helping rough sleepers in extreme weather

Posted onPosted on 16th Dec
Helping rough sleepers in extreme weather

With temperature dropping and weather becoming more hazardous, Newark and Sherwood District Council has plans in place to ensure all rough sleepers have access to accommodation when the weather turns for the worst.

The council remains committed to helping all residents across the whole district with emergency housing provision if the weather dictates.

If you do spot anyone sleeping rough call the council on 01636 650000 and it teams will try to help.

The council has set up plans for the Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP) Plus scheme, which will ensure emergency provision will be available to those who are rough sleeping or homeless when the overnight temperature is forecast to zero or below for three consecutive nights.

Officers at the council will be monitoring the Met Office five-day forecast on a daily basis to ensure that it is aware of any upcoming cold snaps or extreme weather conditions. If the provision is to be activated the team will notify partners and relevant agencies as soon as possible to start rolling out the service.

The ‘plus’ element of the provision may activate if Met Office predictions are expecting extreme weather even though the actual temperature is above zero but may still have substantial impact on the individual, for example, persistent rain for a prolonged period.

The SWEP scheme hasn’t been activated so far this year although the ‘Plus’ element has due to extreme weather in November.

The leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, David Lloyd, said: “Thankfully we know that rough sleeping is not prolific in our District, we are aware of five residents being affected however, this scheme will ensure that rough sleepers receive support when they need it most.

“Support is on offer for those that want it and we’re working closely with partners and voluntary groups to offer hot food, clothing and accommodation so people don’t have to combat the harsh weather alone.

“I am aware that many of you are concerned about rough sleepers, but rest assured the help is there, and has been offered to all those we know about.  We will continue to monitor our streets but if you do come across anyone rough sleeping, please report this to us so we can get our and offer them the support they need.”

The Street Outreach teams working in Newark and Sherwood are continuing with their work again this year. They’re working in the early hours of the morning to find people who need help by building relationships with them and ultimately getting them off the streets and towards safety.

Albert Street Baptist Church, Newark, has also reopened it services and is offering those in need hot food and clothing. It won’t be able to provide accommodation due to Covid restrictions at its current facility.

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