How to help rough sleepers in Sheffield?

[Hesther 10]

In the city this evening, I saw two rough sleepers preparing to settle down for the night in a doorway.

 

I wondered if there are any organisations that help rough sleepers in and around the city at night?

 

The council website refers users to the Turning Point service, I've phoned the number but there is no answer at this time.

[Janus 28]

There used to be a vehicle come to a side street location just off of West Street. (Is it called the soup waggon or something)? I saw the folks gathered around it a while back.There were a few people helping out with serving the food. I don`t know if it still operates.

[peak4 277]

The Archer project is one.

 

St Wilfrids is another. I'm sure there will be others as well.

 

I've had no involvement with either, other than to take some of my parents's clothes to the former.

[Stoned 10]

I saw a rough sleeper on Christmas eve. She looked so desperate and lonely it is heartbreaking. It really do wish i had the funds to do something practical. I gave her what i had which was only about a tenner and that made me feel more guilty. I knew that the following day id be sitting down a Xmas dinner and she probably didn't know where her next meal was coming from. Suffice to say i didn't really eat much of my Christmas dinner and i still cant get her out of my head.

[plain warner 10]

there is an organisation with the funds and the power to end homelessness in britain. unfortunately the government is too busy giving hundreds of millions away to countries with bigger economies and nuclear arsenals...

[trackrunner 10]

It's not a major help but I keep a bag of old hats scarves, socks, and gloves in my car. If I see any I offer them.

[kidley 48]

I saw a rough sleeper on Christmas eve. She looked so desperate and lonely it is heartbreaking. It really do wish i had the funds to do something practical. I gave her what i had which was only about a tenner and that made me feel more guilty. I knew that the following day id be sitting down a Xmas dinner and she probably didn't know where her next meal was coming from. Suffice to say i didn't really eat much of my Christmas dinner and i still cant get her out of my head.

 

Just by way of a little comfort to you, The boss of the Archer Project was on the radio this morning he said, allot of these so-called homeless people have had houses "homes", and they have given them up to sleep rough, that was in response to a 6000 signature petition to SCC to open up places for them to go, the SCC response was there is enough under cover places for them to go all ready.

one more thing i remember the Archer Project man said was there are very few people sleeping rough who are destitute, plus allot more

[sgtkate 10]

Just by way of a little comfort to you, The boss of the Archer Project was on the radio this morning he said, allot of these so-called homeless people have had houses "homes", and they have given them up to sleep rough, that was in response to a 6000 signature petition to SCC to open up places for them to go, the SCC response was there is enough under cover places for them to go all ready.

one more thing i remember the Archer Project man said was there are very few people sleeping rough who are destitute, plus allot more

 

Which begs the question, why are they sleeping rough? And is there anything that can be done to assist them in the choice they have made? No-one should be forced to live in a house if they do not wish to, but I suspect many of those people have other issues that make living in a house all but impossible for them. Simply finding places for them to go doesn't fix the problem.

[S-M-A-C 10]

Which begs the question, why are they sleeping rough? And is there anything that can be done to assist them in the choice they have made? No-one should be forced to live in a house if they do not wish to, but I suspect many of those people have other issues that make living in a house all but impossible for them. Simply finding places for them to go doesn't fix the problem.

 

Some homeless charities like Shelter for example do mentoring work to help people who struggle with the day to day pressure of holding down a place to live like paying bills etc.

[Hesther 10]

Thank you for your helpful replies.

 

I am reluctant to offer cash directly, as I've read that some rough sleepers will purchase alcohol to help them get to sleep, but this can cause difficulties with them regulating their body temperature.

 

As other posters have said, it is difficult to know what to do. I like some of the practical suggestions, like carrying spare gloves, hats, scarves in the car.

 

I also wondered about maybe carrying a thermos and hot water bottles, maybe sleeping bags.

 

There are obviously already a lot of kind, caring people who volunteer time and resources for organisations that support rough sleepers/the homeless and thank heavens they do. God bless them.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Hesther

[Looker 10]

Our sister felt sorry for a woman sleeping on the streets over christmas, so she went out of her way to buy her some hot soup and hot drink of chocolate. When she gave these to the woman , she turned round and said, " I d prefer money". Our sister was gobsmacked and felt really hurt by this.

[NewBiz 10]

38 Degrees are organising a petition to try to pressure SCC to open up empty/disused buildings to the homeless, as Manchester has already done. The petition goes in tomorrow. I've signed it via an email I got from them but cannot for the life of me find the relevant page on their website, but if you've got more time you may be able to find it.