New video shows harsh realities for those sleeping rough in Peterborough

5am in the morning, -1C, a chilling breeze and darkness.

While many of us are asleep in bed, rough sleeper outreach officer Matt Walker and housing, health and wellbeing officer Lorna Thorley are in Peterborough city centre to begin another shift identifying and supporting rough sleepers who are huddled up trying to keep warm.

Over the next few hours the pair will search 14 locations and offer assistance to seven people sleeping rough, beginning a process which will see the vulnerable individuals offered shelter, emotional support and a wide range of services to begin the process of turning their lives around.

The video, which has been uploaded to the authority’s YouTube page, shows the pair interacting with rough sleepers in multiple locations across Peterborough, from the city centre to the rail station and in parks, offering them widespread help.

Interviewed in the video is Darren, a man who turned to drugs after the death of his mum. His life quickly spiralled downhill, leading him to fail a drugs test at work and lose his job. Having already lost his flat, contact with his family ended and he soon found himself in a tent in Woodston.

Now in a two year tenancy, he explains how he has been helped to turn his life around and that he is on the housing register bidding for properties.

while some prefer not to engage, others are grateful for the support, with the video showing one person who became homeless after losing his flat explain how he feels ready to transform his life after being taken off the streets and into temporary accommodation, while also being given support to treat his addictions.

In Peterborough, a co-ordinated, multi-agency approach through the Safer off the Streets partnership means that while Matt and Lorna are on the frontline finding and assisting those sleeping rough, other organisations all come together to make sure an individual’s needs are catered for, whether it be health and housing support or even help filling out forms.

This is largely centred at the Garden House in the Cathedral Precincts, which is run by Light Project Peterborough.

The charity’s CEO, Steven Pettican, explained: “We see over one new presentation per day of someone telling us they are sleeping on the streets. People sleeping on the streets come to the Garden House and we, with our partners, have to unravel what’s going on with those different people and how we move forward with them.

“In December, we helped 41 people move from the streets into accommodation which is a collaborative approach with our partners in the city. That’s 41 lives that have been changed.”

Among those found by Matt and Lorna was a man in a tent in Westwood, who has since been offered temporary accommodation and allocated health and welfare officers who will help him to gain employment.

A couple in Midgate in the city centre are also now in a hostel and have now been referred to the private rented sector team, who will work with then to find a suitable property, while a man found on a bench near HMP Peterborough is now in temporary accommodation and being helped back into work.

The video also shows one woman at the rail station who refused an offer of help, a reminder that not everyone sleeping rough will choose to engage.

After the searches have been carried out, Matt is interviewed at the Garden House where he explains how those found sleeping rough are offered housing and welfare officers to help them, and given support of a nurse as well as professionals specialising with addictions. And, of course, they are given food and hot drinks to sustain them in the short term.

Reflecting on the day, Matt said: “As a rough sleeper outreach officer I am regularly walking the streets in the early hours while most people are asleep. This is because later in the day people move about, so by heading out so early we can find the people who need our support and begin the process of finding them accommodation and help with any health needs.

“Often it is bitterly cold, especially in the winter months, but it’s nothing compared to what these people are going through every day. It’s always satisfying to know you’re helping someone turn their life around and seeing the joy on their face when they are found somewhere warm to stay.”

Sean Evans, head of housing needs at Peterborough City Council, added: “Our outreach officers do incredible work which is normally unseen by the public. No matter the weather, they will be out there visiting places where we have had reports of rough sleepers to try and find them and offer them support.

“In Peterborough, we are fortunate there is such great co-operation among different partner agencies which means we can offer a wide range of assistance, whether it be for housing, health, employment, filling out forms or claiming benefits.

“I hope this video gives the public an insight into the work we do to help those who are most vulnerable. It literally is a 24/7 operation.”

Donations to Safer off the Streets can be made by visiting: https://www.saferoffthestreets.co.uk/.

Contactless donations can also been be made outside the Town Hall in Bridge Street.