Coventry's homeless have 'given up' trying to find somewhere to livePeople are sleeping rough in Coventry because they’ve been evicted from homes so many times they can’t face trying again, according to the person running the Coventry Winter Night Shelter.
The night shelter opened to rough sleepers on Thursday, December 1 for the third winter running. The project is headed by former firefighter Nobby Clarke.
He told how among those needing help are people who sleep rough because they have been evicted from their homes several times. They can’t face it happening again so they have given up trying to find anywhere to live.
Mr Clarke said: “People are affected by the benefits squeeze.
“We find that people get somewhere of their own and they can’t get work.
“If they are having to live on benefits they are on a very tight budget and some people find that too difficult to be able to manage and they get behind with payments and they are evicted.
“When this has happened once, twice or even three times they decide it’s not worth bothering to find somewhere to live and they sleep rough.”
Sometimes people needing help are facing not just homelessness but relationship breakdown, alcohol problems, drug problems or mental ill health.
Mr Clarke said: “When it’s cold you can wrap up warm but the problem it’s cold, wet and windy and when it’s persistently cold.
“It has a cumulative effect and health starts to suffer.”
Rough sleepers who want to stay overnight at the Coventry Winter Night Shelter should visit the Salvation Army in Harnall Lane West or the Cyrenians in Oakwood House, Cheylesmore, Coventry.
There are already enough volunteers to run the service but anyone who would like to make a donation should email
cwns.asst@gmail.com.
