01 April 2017
St Mungo’s will be supporting people sleeping rough in in Bournemouth and Poole to access accommodation and leave the streets behind as part of the Bournemouth and Poole Rough Sleeper Team.
St Mungo’s is the new provider for the service following a retender and are being jointly funded by Bournemouth Borough Council and Borough of Poole.
A recent annual street count of people rough sleeping carried out by council officials in November counted 39 people in Bournemouth and 11 in Poole. Numbers have increased reflecting a picture seen across the country over the last few years.
The Bournemouth and Poole Rough Sleeper Team will be on shift six days per week and will be working with people to assess their options, access accommodation and support around health and employment to help people to rebuild their lives away from homelessness.
Paul Hudson, Regional Head, St Mungo’s said: “Rough sleeping is harmful and dangerous and ruins lives, and no one should have to sleep rough in this day and age. We’ll be working with people to tackle the particular problems that lead to them sleeping rough and aiming to connect them with services as needed, from housing to health services and into skills and work opportunities.
“Rough sleeping is not inevitable, and we know that concerted action works. We are looking forward to working with local partners in Bournemouth and Poole to support people as they move away from homelessness and on with their lives.”
Councillor Robert Lawton, Cabinet Member for Housing, Bournemouth Borough Council, said: “We are extremely pleased to have St Mungo’s on board providing the town’s rough sleeper outreach service who will continue the good work previously delivered by CGL over the last few years. They bring a wealth of experience and knowledge and they will play an essential part in supporting rough sleepers off the street.”
Councillor Karen Rampton, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Housing and Communities, Borough of Poole, said: “One of our priorities is to support the most vulnerable members of our community, and the service provided by St Mungo’s will help us to provide the support needed to keep rough sleepers safe and, ultimately, help them off the streets. It’s important to address the issues which may have led to individuals being on the streets in the first place, and to help prevent their mental and physical health from deteriorating.”
St Mungo’s delivers rough sleeping outreach services in London, Bristol, Reading, Oxford, Brighton, and South Essex and provides a bed and support to more than 2,600 people a night who are either homeless or at risk.
Press Contact: Charlotte Cohen, Press and PR Officer, on 020 3856 6126 or charlotte.cohen@mungos.org
