Charity Manager Advocates for Reinstatement of Night Shelters for Homeless in Bournemouth

Andrew Talbot, who manages the Bournemouth-based charity We Are Humans, has stated that Bournemouth requires the reintroduction of a night shelter. Mr. Talbot asserted that the severe weather response implemented by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council does not offer a sustainable solution. This week, the council initiated its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which provides a bed to all rough sleepers due to freezing overnight temperatures. BCP Council described SWEP as an emergency measure designed to prevent fatalities, making it accessible to individuals who typically do not qualify for housing. Mr. Talbot expressed a desire for night shelters to be reinstated, enabling individuals to leave the streets “on a more permanent basis.” SWEP, which is active in Dorset until Friday, frequently utilizes church halls, hostels, and hotels. However, these locations are not consistently available for extended periods. This limited long-term availability is a key factor in Mr. Talbot’s conviction that a night shelter is essential for the town, which currently has over 50 rough sleepers. Night shelters offer a system where individuals can arrive daily and request a bed. Currently, BCP Council directs rough sleepers to approach them initially for housing assistance, aiming to connect them with support services, including addiction help. During SWEP, the council states that its outreach team, alongside the homeless charity St Mungo’s, provides temporary accommodation, hot meals, and urgent supplementary aid to all individuals sleeping outdoors. Andrew Talbot, who has personal experience with homelessness, indicated his preference for emergency funds designated for supporting rough sleepers to be allocated towards night shelters. Mr. Talbot acknowledged that “if SWEP saves one life, it’s definitely a good thing,” but he also noted that it “comes with its own complications as well.” He elaborated, “They will take them in out of the cold while it’s nought degrees or below. The minute it goes up one degree, SWEP will end, and the people would be put back out on to the streets in cold, horrible conditions.” Mr. Talbot suggested that this approach could negatively impact the health of homeless individuals. He further explained, “You’ll end up most of the time being ill because you’ve acclimatised to warmth and you’re back in the freezing cold again. It comes with illnesses, flu, colds. And then there is the mental health side of it that you’ve been somewhere nice and warm for maybe four to five days. And then you’re back into the madness, into the spiral of no hope.” However, BCP Council disagreed with Mr. Talbot’s assertion that SWEP lacks long-term advantages. Councillor Kieron Wilson, the portfolio holder for housing, stated, “Last year, 33 people benefited from this approach, reinforcing SWEP’s potential to permanently help people off the streets.” He added, “The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Street Outreach Service team will be undertaking additional shifts during SWEP to encourage everyone rough sleeping, including those who are reluctant, to take up the offer of temporary accommodation.” Councillor Wilson also mentioned that following SWEP’s conclusion, the council and its collaborators would “continue to support individuals into a range of long-term housing solutions.”