Extra funding for Stokes Croft charity which helps rough sleepers in Bristol

People rough sleeping in Bristol are to benefit from new funding grants to St Mungo's street outreach teams.

The news has been welcomed by rough sleepers and volunteers across the city, including at St Mungo's Compass Centre in Stokes Croft. The charity is also encouraging people in Bristol to donate to its annual Christmas appeal. More information HERE.

The money, which is released to the charity in March, is from the £20m Homelessness Transition Fund to help prevent and tackle rough sleeping in England. The fund is provided by the Department of Communities and Local Government and administered by Homeless Link.

Its objectives are to protect and enhance essential services for single homeless people and support them in becoming sustainable, and support the introduction of the 'No Second Night Out' standard and other innovations to end rough sleeping.

It will help St Mungo's Street outreach team support in Bristol to work with people new to the streets in addition to longer term rough sleepers with more complex needs. Some of the funding will go towards work in Reading and London too.

Elizabeth Harper, St Mungo's Regional Director, said:"St Mungo's is very pleased to have been successful with these bids to the Homeless Transition Fund for funds to support our street outreach work. This is extremely good news for the rough sleepers we help off the streets, as well as our outreach staff who do an incredibly tough job night after night. The grants will help us build on existing good work in support of roll out of the broader No Second Night Out national initiative, which we wholeheartedly welcome."

Bristol West MP Stephen Williams penned a piece recently after a visit to Julian's Trust, which also helps rough sleepers in Bristol. He said: "During 2011 I have met several homeless charities.  I opened the new media training centre at the Foyer and had lunch with people at the Salvation Army in Wade Street.  Shelter have told me about all the problems faced by people who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless."

He added: "I've also been out early in the morning with the rough sleepers team from St Mungos.  As well as their core staff and premises, all these charities have a team of volunteers.  So maybe as the end of the year approaches, a new year resolution could be to find a charity that you can support."

Hear hear.