Cold makes it vital to keep up the battle
Things seem to be ever-changing at the moment... rules and tiers make for uncertainty for all. One issue that doesn’t change, regardless of the state of lockdown, is homelessness.
Homeless charity Julian House wants to remind the community that homelessness is still around, even as the new year sets in and people’s focus starts to change.
When the first frosts arrive in late autumn, awareness and concern for those who are on the streets rises significantly. This results in many donations and gestures from the public to try to help - particularly in the run-up to Christmas.
Fundraising director at Julian House Cecil Weir, inset, is hoping that support doesn’t cease as we progress through January.
He said: “I have been running our winter campaign for many years and the level of support we see in December is fantastic. But it is invariably the case that things drop off in the new year.
“Right now we are in the midst of a really cold snap and my outreach colleagues are working hard to try and support anyone that they find on the streets. Although we have enough beds for everyone, there are complex reasons why some men and women are still out in
Right now we are in the midst of a really cold snap and my outreach colleagues are working hard to try and support anyone that they find on the streets. Fundraising director at Julian House Cecil Weir
very dangerous conditions. This is just one reason why we need the public’s support to continue.” So far over £155,000 has been donated towards the Julian House Christmas Appeal, supported by the Bath Chronicle. This money will help to support
the extra accommodation which is being provided by the charity through until the end of March. It will also help to fund other vital projects throughout 2021.
The year-round nature of homelessness and the other issues that Julian House works to address is something that Cecil Weir is keen to highlight.
He said: “Being on the streets or vulnerably housed is only marginally less difficult in July than it is in January. Likewise, domestic abuse, another big area of our work, is very much a year-round issue. That’s why our Christmas campaign is so important.
“Covid-19 has brought some extra pressures this year. The latest of these is the fact that we have had to change the format of our Big Bath Sleep-out event - moving it away from a public location to asking people to sleep out in their own gardens on March 5. We hope not, but this could mean a big drop in income from that event and more pressure on our work.”
Julian House is asking organisations and the public to carry on supporting its Christmas appeal in whatever way they can.
Supermarket gift vouchers are also wanted so that staff can support clients with items they might need, either as they move on into accommodation or to help with basic supplies during the current lockdown.