The plight of the homeless is all around us. Visit a big city and you can see the very obvious examples, people rough sleeping with their makeshift tents and beds. The facilities and comforts are very basic. Too basic. The rough sleeper begging and a dog, often their only companion. We feel uncomfortable as we walk past a fellow human being reduced to sleeping in the street and begging. Even in our smaller cities and towns, it is not difficult to see evidence of homelessness. The sleeping bag and the remains of a camp are visible under the railway arches or in a small wood. Next time you are walking around Salisbury, you will see the homeless here.

Homelessness is bigger than the number of people rough sleeping. Definitions include people at risk of homelessness, people in temporary, poor or unsuitable accommodation, the person exchanging sex for a place to sleep. The national charity Shelter states; “the definition of homelessness means not having a home. You are homeless if you have nowhere to stay and are living on the streets, but you can be homeless even if you have a roof over your head.”

How many people are homeless? Last year Shelter reported 320,000 people as homeless. This huge number included people rough sleeping and those in temporary accommodation. The bulk of those affected, 295,000, are in forms of temporary accommodation after being accepted as homeless by their local authority.

The response to homelessness is complicated. There is the need for more housing and especially social housing. There is also a need for greater investment to improve existing housing. However, more homes is only part of the answer. People who are homeless may have a range of issues that need addressing. Unemployment, debt, breakdown in relationships, mental health problems, alcohol or drug addiction are all factors leading to homelessness that may need to be addressed. For someone to thrive in their new home they may need the intervention of support services. Equally, more needs to be done to support people to avoid them becoming homeless in the first place.

Government, local authorities, housing associations and charities are all working to improve the situation. There is still so much to do. Alabaré is supporting almost 2000 people in its supported accommodation and training and development services. Alabaré wants all the people we support to have access to good quality accommodation and be able to sustain it. To do this we need your help.

Our supporters in Salisbury have been very generous. The recent Big Give campaign has been successful. More people than ever are stepping toward and volunteering in our homes and services. Together we can have so much more impact than simply putting a coin into an outstretched cup. Thank you for your support.

Andrew Lord

Chief Executive, Alabaré