Communication is a Virus

St Georges Crypt

http://www.stgeorgescrypt.org.uk/sgc-info/people/clients/real-life-stories.html

One of the biggest problems we face by trying to encourage people to give to beggars rather than a charity is that the people donating don't know where that money is going, it could be spent on drugs or alcohol.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/1009634.stm

I have emailed the administration at St Georges Crypt to see what they think would be the most effective and appropriate use of the public's money, we are planning on visiting on wednesday as well to research further.


It is interesting to find out a homeless persons history, as most people would assume that they are responsible for their own situation but the reasons that they are there may surprise many.

http://www.stgeorgescrypt.org.uk/sgc-info/people/clients/real-life-stories.html

• Approximately 32% have been in prison, 10% in care and 6% in the armed forces at some point in their lives. Some individuals may have experience of more than one of these.

• There is a constant flow of people onto the streets, but most people are not on the streets for the long term. In 2009/2010, 61% were new to the streets. 26% were also seen rough sleeping in the year before, and 13% of people had slept rough in the past but not within the previous year.

St George's Crypt's Overnight Service accommodated 549 inidivduals, in our 12 funded bed spaces, from April 2010 - March 2011

Of these 549 - 457 were successfully helped into further suitable accommodation.  However, 92 of our residents could not be helped.  Some of the reasons for this are: refusing suitable accommodation, breach of alcohol/drug/smoking rules, verbal and or physical abuse of other residents or staff or just abandoning the service.

This demonstrates that we have successfully helped 83.2% of our customers onto secure accommodation.

Over the same period we had available 3 compassionate bedspaces each night, a total of 1,095 for the year, for vulnerable people who have no recourse to any public funding.

As part of the Severe Weather Protocol last winter St George's Crypt made available 6 extra bed spaces per night from the end of Novemeber 2010, the first snow falls, to the end of February 2011.  Within this period there was a small period where the Protocol was withdrawn by LCC.