Help available for rough sleepers in the B&NES area - Saltford Parish Council

Local help for people who sleep rough or are at risk of becoming homeless is being offered across Bath and North East Somerset – not just during the winter, but all year round. Bath & North East Somerset Council and Homeless Partnership agencies Julian House and DHI are offering a room for anyone who needs it in severe weather at any time of the year.

A number of cafés across the area have also signed up to help rough sleepers by providing warm spaces and a hot drink during the day. The Genesis Lifeline Centre also offers day time facilities, including on Saturday mornings from 3rd December. At Manvers Street Hostel in Bath, there is a takeaway food provision available for clients who are street rough sleeping. This is available for breakfast from 7am to 10am, lunch from 1pm to 2pm and dinner from 7pm to 8pm.

If you see someone sleeping rough and are concerned contact StreetLink

Anyone concerned about someone they have seen sleeping rough can alert the partner services via the StreetLink, website or by calling 0300 500 0914 so that the person can be connected with local support. If the person is under 18, people need to contact the police.

StreetLink exists to help end rough sleeping by enabling members of the public to connect people sleeping rough with the local services that can support them.

If you are concerned about someone over the age of 18 that you have seen sleeping rough in England or Wales, you can use the StreetLink website to send an alert to StreetLink. The details you provide are sent to the local authority or outreach service for the area in which you have seen the person, to help them find the individual and connect them to support. It is important to note that if you think the person you are concerned about is under 18 please do not contact StreetLink but instead call the police.

Please note that Parish Councils are not the responsible authority for supporting someone sleeping rough. Residents are asked to contact StreetLink directly if they have concerns about someone they have seen sleeping rough. When doing so, it is helpful to know their location, the time of day last seen, and a brief description of their appearance.

How to donate or help

People wishing to donate or volunteer to help people who sleep rough are asked to contact one of the Homelessness Partnership agencies to find out what they need.

In Bath, Nationwide Building Society on Stall Street also has a ‘Tap and Donate’ point for contactless donations. Julian House administers the fund to help equip people with the items they need when they are moving on from sleeping rough.

BillyChip is a platform that allows the public to directly donate to rough sleepers without the fear of their donation being misused. The chips can be bought and redeemed in coffee shops and takeaways for food and drink. People can look out for the BillyChip symbol in café windows.

People are asked not to donate items that enable people to prolong a life on the streets, including tents and bedding. The most dangerous item given to people sleeping rough is a camping gas stove. They can be lethal if they are used inside tents. Giving any equipment can lead to a person becoming less likely to engage with services that can make long-lasting improvements to their lives.

B&NES Council has also co-ordinated a directory of warm spaces which can be found here: https://livewell.bathnes.gov.uk/warm-places-list

Contact details for the Homelessness Partnership organisations are

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