Mayor joins outreach team on the streets

A photo of the Mayor and Framework employees

The Mayor of Mansfield joined the street outreach team to see the work that is being done to support rough sleepers in the district.

Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams already has knowledge of the homeless community and the issues surrounding rough sleeping as he’s volunteered at the Beacon Project for two years.

He asked to go out with Framework’s outreach team, which is funded by Mansfield District Council and countywide funding, to see first-hand the conditions that rough sleepers are living in and what is being done to engage with them.  

From 5am on Thursday, the Mayor spent four hours with two members of the Framework outreach team as they walked miles checking known rough sleeping locations in the town centre and at remote locations across the district.

The Mayor said: “I wanted to see for myself the conditions that rough sleepers live in, what is being done to engage with them and help them to make long-term changes to their lifestyles. I also wanted to hear more about their personal experiences and the issues they face and I will ensure these are taken on board.

“There is already fantastic partnership work underway in Mansfield to tackle this complicated issue but I am committed to looking at ways we can access further funding and work even more closely with our partners to improve services.”

Mansfield District Council has been awarded £187,407 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This will be used to deliver the council’s Homelessness Prevention Strategy, which aims to prevent residents from becoming homeless and ensures any rough sleeping is brief and doesn’t happen again.

This sum is in addition to two successful funding bids secured in partnership with other Nottinghamshire districts. The Rough Sleepers Initiative awarded the county with £450,000 to continue to support homeless outreach services already in place and enhance this provision by employing a prescribing nurse and social worker.  

The Rapid Rehousing Pathway awarded the county with £546,796, of which Mansfield will secure a significant amount, to secure additional supported housing for those with complex needs. Mansfield will be employing a Landlord Liaison Officer to work with landlords to increase available accommodation for homeless families.

Supporting those most in need, day to day, are soup kitchens and special street community surgeries for those with medical needs. On top of the shelters that every council has to provide during severe cold weather, Mansfield goes above and beyond its duty to help rough sleepers by providing a night shelter every night during the coldest months. Work is already underway to plan for this winter’s night shelter.

If you are concerned about someone who appears to be rough sleeping in your neighbourhood, contact the outreach team’s 24-hour hotline on 0800 066 5356 or text SOT to 80800 followed by your message. You can also make reports via www.streetlink.org.uk.

Published: August 2nd 2019