A new poster campaign has been launched by Nottingham City Council with the message ‘No one should have to sleep rough in Nottingham this winter.’
The posters highlight the city’s No Second Night Out policy which means no one has to face a second night out on the street. They also provide a freephone number for people to contact homeless charity Framework if they or someone they know is rough sleeping and needs help.
With Nottingham, like other parts of country, experiencing a significant increase in the number of rough sleepers over the last year, the City Council has provided an extra £100,000 to support the city’s Cold Weather Plan until April next year. The extra funding will enable an additional 32 beds to be provided on top of the 20 already being made available as part of the Winter Shelter managed by Emmanuel House in partnership with city churches and other agencies.
The Council leads a multi-agency group, including Framework Housing Association, hostels and local churches, which works all year round to prevent new, repeat and entrenched rough sleeping, as well as reducing the risks to the health and well-being of those who sleep on the streets. They are identified, assessed, supported and accommodated in Nottingham or reconnected back to their local community if they are not from the city.
Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, Councillor Jane Urquhart, said: “As temperatures drop, the need to provide shelter for people sleeping rough becomes increasingly urgent. Thankfully we’ve been able to find extra funding needed to meet the increasing demand this year and ensure that, with partners like Framework and Emmanuel House, we can maintain the city’s s commitment to No Second Night Out.
“The poster campaign in the city centre is one way in which we can tell people about the support that‘s available for rough sleepers and how they can access it.”
Anyone sleeping rough or who spots someone who is should make a referral to the Street Outreach Team 24 hours a day via the Freephone number: 0800 066 5356