Residents are being urged to help rough sleepers this Christmas by letting Malvern Hills District Council know about people they see on the streets.
People can play their part this festive season by remembering to see, say, support.
See – if you spot someone sleeping rough.
Say – tell StreetLink what they look like and where they are online at www.streetlink.org.uk, on the app or call 0300 500 0914.
Support – StreetLink will pass the details to the council's housing team or outreach service who will go and find the individual and begin working with them to offer help and support.
The council's housing team has already helped 17 people to get off the streets since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sadly, a few people have chosen not to take up the help offered. The council continues to work with them and to offer support.
Emergency shelters will be opened on cold nights to make sure people who have chosen to continue to sleep rough have somewhere to go when temperatures fall.
If people want to do more then they are encouraged to donate to local registered charities for the homeless or offer to volunteer their time with them.
If residents see a person collapsed on the street, they should call the emergency services immediately.
Cllr Natalie McVey, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Health on Malvern Hills District Council, said: "If you want to help support rough sleepers this Christmas the best thing you can do is let us know by using StreetLink. The sooner we know about someone, the quicker we can find them and start to work with them to find a solution. Not everyone accepts our offer of assistance, which is their choice, but we will never walk away and will continue to engage with them until they are ready to be helped."
