£260k funding to help homeless
Homeless organisations will benefit from nearly £260,000 of Government funding.
Telford & Wrekin Council has received £79,132 from the Rough Sleeping Initiative, to be spent on supporting people who sleep rough and need emergency accommodation, while Shropshire has received £178,000.
In Telford the money will be divided between STAY Telford and Maninplace.
Maninplace provides a night shelter, which continues to be full on a regular basis.
There is also need for a second night shelter and additional staff to help support people with complex needs.
The additional funding will help towards staffing this second night shelter for rough sleepers, and it can can be used on an as-needed basis, if the people would otherwise be sleeping rough.
STAY Telford provides an outreach service which provides the first point to call for vulnerable rough sleepers.
The homeless outreach co-ordinator works outside office hours and assesses the individual needs of rough sleepers and addresses
In addition, KiP@Maninplace also supports the homeless, particularly rough sleepers, through its Walk In Accommodation Hub in Wellington.
Councillor Richard Overton, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for housing and enforcement, said: “Working with our partners to reduce issues surrounding homelessness in the borough is extremely important.
"This additional funding will help Maninplace provide staffing for a second night shelter service, which is essential to rough sleepers at a time they are most vulnerable.
“We have seen an increase already of those single homeless clients contacting us for additional help and assistance and the second night shelter will enable us to help more clients rapidly.”
