THIS festive season a pop-up night shelter is running to offer support for people sleeping rough this Christmas. 

Basingstoke and Deane Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) which includes over 50 organisations has set up the shelter.

The partnership brings together housing, homelessness and emergency services, as well as community organisations, faith-based voluntary groups, people with lived experience and businesses who are all committed to reducing homelessness and advancing social inclusion in the borough.

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Kate Randall, head of housing and social inclusion at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said: “Any one of us could become homeless, and it’s important that we offer long-term support to help people who are sleeping rough in the borough.

“There can be a mental health barrier that stops people from seeking support, so the social inclusion model means we can offer that support by, for example, bringing in clinical psychologists.

“It’s also about what we consider as homelessness, if someone is in temporary accommodation or sofa-surfing, they are still homeless and require that support.”

Julian House, a key partner in the scheme, is a charity supporting vulnerable and at-risk individuals, including adults and young people experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping.

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The Camrose Centre, another key partner, is a drop-in centre for anyone who is sleeping rough, homeless, or vulnerably housed within Basingstoke and Deane.

The pop-up shelter, called the Night Light Winter Shelter, is a part of the Real Change not Loose Change scheme run by the SIP, focusing on fundraising for an alternative individual-led approach to homelessness.

The shelter, which offers its services through referrals made by agencies in the SIP, will be open for up to 20 guests during the day, and 10 at night on December 24, 25, and 26.

It will provide warm meals, clothes, toiletries, and a place to sleep to ensure that anyone sleeping rough in the borough will not be alone at Christmas, as well as offer long-term support to understand their individual needs and access accommodation.

The SIP asks that if people see someone sleeping rough, they contact StreetLink at thestreetlink.org.uk a platform which can connect people sleeping rough to local authorities and charities.

Kate added: “As human beings, we want to help, people can flag when they see someone rough sleeping, so we can respond.”

To refer someone for support, Julian House can be contacted by emailing Basingstoke-outreach@julianhouse.org.uk or calling 01256 322791.