North Lincolnshire Council is offering a range of support to homeless people across the festive period.
The council is working alongside community groups to provide overnight accommodation, hot meals, transport, clothing and washing facilities.
Beds are available at Anvil House (Framework) on Dorchester Road, Scunthorpe, along with a hot meal and transport to get there if needed. Anyone in need of this service can be referred through the housing advice team or a partner service between 9am and 4pm.
Those referred on Christmas Eve will be accepted for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day with referrals again accepted from 27 December 2018.
Working with New Life Church in Scunthorpe, the council is providing overnight stays on nights when the temperatures drop. The church will open at 6pm to provide a hot meal and shelter. Breakfast will be provided before the building is closed at 7.30am the next morning.
The church will open on Friday 21 December, Sunday 23 December, Friday 28 December and Sunday 30 December. Depending on the weather, it may open on other dates.
The Trussell Trust Food Bank at Scunthorpe Baptist Church on Ashby Road opens Thursdays and Mondays from 1pm to 2.30pm. Across the Christmas period it will be open on Friday 21 December 2018 and then close until Monday 7 January 2019.
The Forge Project on Cottage Beck Road, Scunthorpe, will be providing Christmas dinner for homeless people but will be closed on some days. Opening times are:
- Christmas Eve, 10am to 11.30am
- Christmas Day, 10am to 1pm
- Boxing Day – closed
- Thursday 27 December – closed
- Friday 28 December, 9.30am to 12.45pm
- Monday 31 December, 9.30am to 12.45pm
- Tuesday 1 January – closed
It will reopen as normal from Tuesday 2 January 2019.
The Birches Medical Centre at the Ironstone Centre opens every week day from 10am to 2pm for people to have a shower but this will not be available on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
For people who have attended The Birches, Crosby Community Association can offer clothes, warm drinks and snacks.
Langar Seva provides food for the homeless on Thursday evenings from Britannia Corner, Scunthorpe. Across Christmas this will be available on Thursday 20 December and Thursday 27 December 2018.
During really cold temperatures, the council will ensure anyone rough sleeping is offered somewhere to stay overnight to keep them out of the cold.
Cllr Ralph Ogg, Cabinet Member for Safer, Greener and Cleaner Places, said: “There is a lot of support available for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless so we are hoping to raise awareness of this.
“Although support is available all year round, as the temperatures drop, we want to ensure people know how to access help. No one needs to be sleeping rough.
“The festive season can be very lonely for many people. We have many local charities which do a fantastic job providing somewhere warm, hot meals, overnight accommodation and showers to ensure people can be safe, well and importantly, not alone.
“People find themselves homeless through a variety of reasons – a relationship breakdown, debt, substance misuse, mental health or leaving an institution, but we also know solving rough sleeping is about much more than finding a home.
“We provide the support people need to help them deal with and overcome their problems but the individuals need to be willing to accept our support.
“Working with other agencies allows us to provide the best possible support. It also enables us to identify rough sleepers as early as possible so they are supported appropriately.”
If you would like to support those sleeping rough in North Lincolnshire, you can donate to The Forge using the blue ‘house’ collection boxes in town centre stores or at 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, or by volunteering for The Forge Project. Find out more on their website.
Whether people are currently homeless or at risk of being homeless, the Housing Advice Team can help. If you know of anyone who needs support report on the Street Link website, call 01724 297000 or email housingadvice@northlincs.gov.uk. More information is also available on the homelessness page.
