Meeting real needs

Although I would have to agree that better coordination is needed, the key issue must be that the soup runs that do engage constructively with the people who use them are providing essential, often life-saving links to accommodation and other vital services.

Contrary to popular perception and the figures from the ODPM’s street counts, many churches and groups working to help homeless people are reporting an increase in the numbers of people who use and need their services.

Just to put this in perspective, in London over the last year, at least 80 people died homeless. Their names were read out at the annual service of commemoration at St Martin in the Fields in November.

Before we start discouraging groups taking much-needed help to those on the streets, let’s first make sure that there are adequate numbers of safe hostel beds and other essential services such as decently funded day centres to meet the needs that don’t appear to be going away.

Alastair Murray, development worker UNLEASH Church Action on Homelessness in London