Provision for the homeless

http://www.reading.gov.uk/NewsArticle.asp?id=SX9452-A7848CC8

St Mungo's is the street outreach team commissioned by Reading Borough Council to work with rough sleepers in the borough. The team's support workers have been out in the town over the last few days to see what support they can give to people living on the streets. Every single person found sleeping rough has been offered accommodation at one of Reading's hostels.

Some people have chosen not to accept offers of help however and instead chose to sleep rough, despite advice to the contrary.

St Mungo's has found some rough sleepers, particularly around the town centre and Central Library, are stopping members of the public and telling them they need money in order to stay in hostel accommodation.

The Council and St Mungo's would like to clarify to members of the public that free hostel accommodation is offered to all street homeless people during this cold snap and the situation is being constantly monitored.

Perhaps experience leads them to believe that they are safer on the street than in a free hostel. Certainly Dublin's free hostels are terrifying.