A shocking new report today reveals that 9,050 people are homeless in the South West.
For the very first time, housing charity Shelter has revealed the true scale of homelessness in the area by analysing a combination of the most up-to-date government statistics, freedom of information requests, and other published homelessness data.
To mark Shelter’s founding 50 years ago today, the research is inspired by the charity’s original ‘Green Book’ – the report that launched the charity in 1966 and exposed the grim reality of life for homeless families at the time. Sadly, the...
Leading West Country Independent Estate Agents, Wilkinson Grant & Co have launched their annual campaign to raise awareness and help the homeless community in Exeter.
The agency has pledged to donate gifts to homeless individuals for each property they list for sale, or to let, before Christmas.
This year they have added a further dimension to the campaign by also pledging to make an additional donation to YMCA Exeter for each property sold or let in that time.
Last year the agency collected items such as toiletries, jumpers, blankets and undergarments, and,...
Housing and homelessness charity Shelter is appealing for help to fund its free helpline after seeing a surge in demand from the South West, with over 43,000 calls received in the past year alone.
In a sign of the deepening housing crisis, the number of calls to the charity’s helpline from the South West - which is part-funded by M&S - has increased by 12% with a call now received nearly every five and a half minutes. Worryingly, nearly one in five cases in the South West dealt with by the Shelter helpline in the past year were people who were homeless or within 28 days of...
Shelter is today launching an urgent appeal after a new investigation conducted by the charity uncovered the harrowing impact of homelessness on families and children in Britain.
Over 2,600 children in the South West face spending this Christmas homeless and in temporary accommodation, the highest level recorded since 2009, new analysis of government figures shows.
Alarmingly, the figures also reveal that the number of families living in emergency B&B and hostel rooms across the country has risen by a worrying 18% in just a year, as local councils battle to find...
Since the formation of a task force earlier this year, a number of key developments have already taken place. Fewer people now live rough and survive on the streets of Exeter and reports of anti social behaviour have decreased.
StAG: Exeter’s Street Attachment Group adopts a multi agency approach to tackle one of its key priorities to reduce the number of people living and surviving on the city’s streets. It does this by promoting access to resources to help rehabilitate, home and get people involved in activities away from the streets.
People in Exeter can find out what is being done in the city to assist those who are homeless at a drop-in event next week.
The City Council – working in partnership with Teignbridge District Council – has drawn up a Homelessness Strategy for Exeter and Teignbridge.
As part of the Strategy the public are being asked for their views on a raft of initiatives put forward to prevent homelessness.
Cllr Emma Morse, Lead Councillor for Customer Access, said: “This is a great opportunity for people to drop in and see what we have been doing to address homelessness in the...
As the cold weather is set to continue, many homeless people are putting themselves at risk of injury and even death by sleeping in waste containers, according to recycling specialists, Coastal Recycling.
Many rough sleepers are seeking shelter from the harsh weather conditions and see wheelie bins as a safer place to sleep than on the street. In addition, bins present a comfortable refuge to people under the influence of drink and drugs.
Unfortunately accidents can occur if the sleeper hasn’t been spotted in advance. Each bin is lifted six metres high before being tipped...
The Green Party has condemned Labour’s plans for a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) across the city centre, condemning them as ‘muddled thinking’ which will fail to help local residents or businesses.
The proposals could lead to the confiscation of sleeping bags and personal items and ultimately lead to the criminalisation of homeless people unable to pay a fine.
Tom Milburn, Exeter Green Party candidate in Newton and St Leonard’s ward said: “Someone sleeping rough in the city is very vulnerable and, if forced away from the relative ‘protection’ of the City Centre, is...
Human rights campaigning organisation Liberty is concerned that Exeter City Council’s proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) will criminalise the city’s most vulnerable people.
A consultation into the Council’s plans closes at midnight on 29 February 2016. Liberty intends to respond to the consultation with a detailed analysis of how the PSPO will potentially lead to unjust, counterproductive and unlawful action being taken against homeless people.
As drafted, the Order bans unsolicited requests for money and gives police and Council officers the right to clear away...
People are being asked to comment on a raft of initiatives that have been put forward to tackle homelessness in Teignbridge and Exeter.
Teignbridge and Exeter have drawn up a joint, draft Homelessness Strategy and are seeking the views of residents. The consultation period runs for six weeks from 12 February to 25 March 2016.
You can see the strategy on our website and fill in a brief survey at: www.teignbridge.gov.uk/liveconsultations
In Exeter this is a separate consultation to the current ongoing consultation on the Public Spaces Protection Order.
