Mayor makes good move to help homeless

IVERY much welcome the changes to this winter’s Cold Weather Provision announced by the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham this week.

In past years people sleeping rough who are deemed non-priority by councils have had to wait for the temperature to drop to below zero degrees on three consecutive nights before Cold Weather Provision has been put in place. However, this has now been changed so emergency Cold Weather Provision will now be provided across Greater Manchester any night that the temperature is below zero degrees.

This is good news for many rough sleepers.

However, some people the fifth year this December.

The Rucksack project encourages members of the public and organisations to donate practical items such as warm clothing, sleeping bags and food that The Wellspring staff can then give out throughout 2018 to anyone who finds themselves sleeping on our streets no matter what the temperature is.

In 2015 the donations we received during The Rucksack appeal lasted us a full 12 months, in 2016 we had a similar amount of donations, however these only lasted us nine months.

The Wellspring Christmas dinner appeal is now live and we are appealing for people to donate £5 to provide someone in need with a full Christmas dinner and a gift.

Wellspring has posters and collection boxes that we are looking to place in the community, if you can display a poster or host one of our Christmas collection boxes then please do get in touch.

Donations to the appeal can be made by texting XMDC17£5 to 70070, donations can also be made via www. thewellspring.co.uk

I am currently recruiting for a new project worker to join our small team of paid staff. »»For more information please visit the Wellspring website www.thewellspring.co. uk or search Facebook for The Wellspring Stockport.