CAMBRIDGE residents and visitors have already donated more than £5,000 to a new charitable fund which is helping rough sleepers and vulnerable people.
The fund is just one of the ways in which Cambridge City Council and other organisations in the city provide positive assistance to rough sleepers, homeless people and those at risk of homelessness.
Cambridge Street Aid, which was launched before Christmas, is managed by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation and supported by Cambridge City Council, Jimmy's Cambridge, Cambridge Cyrenians, Cambridge Churches Homelessness Project, Cambridge BID and CAMBAC (Cambridge Businesses against Crime).
It was established to give people an alternative to handing over cash to people on the streets. Every penny of the money donated goes towards grants of up to £750 to help vulnerable people on the streets get the support, accommodation and employment they need to turn a corner in their life.
People on the streets and supporting organisations have been informed that the fund is open to applications, and the first of these have now been received.
Other ways in which the council and its partners provide support for vulnerable people, include:
Giving more than £700,000 a year in grants to a number of charities and services assisting homeless people and people on the street, with all the major local homelessness charities receive some funding from the council.
Forging strong links with well-known local homeless charities Jimmy’s Cambridge, Wintercomfort, Change, Grow, Live (which provides a street outreach service), Riverside Care and Support, Cambridge Cyrenians, the Cambridge Churches Homelessness Project, and a range of smaller providers. These organisations help the council set priorities for work to assist street people and rough sleepers.
The council was recently awarded £390k for the next two years to set up a multi-disciplinary street team with health services and charities to work with long-term rough sleepers with mental health and substance abuse problems. A large proportion of people on the streets have these problems.
Over 500 supported beds are available in Cambridge for single homeless people in hostels and other accommodation provided by local organisations, a very high figure compared to the population of Cambridge as a whole.
Making up to 40 council or housing association tenancies a year available exclusively for former rough sleepers who are ready to move on from hostel accommodation. This will be increased to 40 places in 2017.
The council is working with a range of welfare and enforcement agencies to deal with begging and has started a series of patrols intended to deter begging and let the public know how best they can help people on the streets.
Local councils in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough were also recently awarded £736,000 from the government’s £20million ‘Trailblazer’ fund aimed at tackling some of the root problems that can lead to homelessness.
Cllr Kevin Price, Executive Councillor for Housing, said: “The vulnerable people on our streets have a range of often complex issues, which is why we have a number of positive ways in which we try to offer the support they need to get off the streets as quickly as possible.
“We are working ever more closely with our partner organisations and local charities to give people sleeping rough a chance to turn a corner. The public’s response to Cambridge Street Aid has been tremendous, and we would like to thank everyone who has so far donated.
“We recognise that not everyone begging on Cambridge streets is homeless, but on the other hand not everyone who is genuinely sleeping rough chooses to beg. We would always encourage people who wish to really help the people on the streets to donate to Cambridge Street Aid or other charities, rather than giving money direct to people.”
Members of the public concerned about begging can report cases to the police by dialling 101. Anyone with concerns about rough sleeping or antisocial behaviour can report it to the council by phoning 01223 457000.
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