Newham Street Count - September 25

 

Picture from last Thursday’s Rough Sleeper count. We were a mix of Newham and voluntary sector officers and Councillors. We met at the Newham Dockside building at 11pm. We had a briefing then we’re split up into teams of 2 or 3 and sent out to different parts of Newham from midnight. The aim was to count the number of homeless people sleeping out doors. My team visited several locations known to be used in the past but found no one on this occasion. 

However, 20 people were found sleeping on the streets elsewhere in Newham. Which was 8 less than the last count in July but still too high.

The annual nationwide count will take place next month.

Newham Rough Sleeping Count 31.3.22

 

Last night we met at Newham Council Dockside building just after 11pm for a briefing on tonight's count. There was Council officers, volunteers, outreach workers and Councillors taking part. We were split into 5 mobile teams and given maps and directions for each of our patches.

I was teamed up with local officer, PC Pearson, and we were tasked out with checking out two local parks, a tower block and a number of low rise blocks, where rough sleepers had been found in the past. 

It was a very cold, miserable and damp evening and I was pleased that we came across no one sleeping rough. I am sure that the other groups would find some people sleeping rough on the street but I hope that the collective figures this time will be less than last (which was 11). 

Since we came across no one, the count took less time than normal and I was back home for 2am. 

Many thanks to the Newham Council's Street Population manager, Ajith Sajeev BEM and her team for organising this event so well and PC Pearson for his interest and enthusiasm for our task. 

Newham Rough Sleeper (Mini) Street Count June 2020

Pictures from last night's Newham Rough Sleeping (mini) Street count with Councillors, Council officers and 3rd sector partners going out during the night to count how many rough sleepers there are. Usually this is done every two months.

Due to COVID19 only 4 teams of 2 people were sent out however, we visited 43 sites that have recent reports or historically associated with rough sleeping in Newham (and also there were central staff doing safety checks and gathering stats).

We met up in a local hotel that the Council has block booked to house and support rough sleepers. We took bottled water and sun cream to hand out (it has been very hot lately)

My team toured Manor Park and East Ham and "only" met 1 person sleeping on the streets! (S/he is well known to outreach workers and they are trying to support).

I am not sure if we can publish the actual figures yet from last nights count but it is no secret that it will be definitely and dramatically down from Pre covid times and the decision by the government to get "everyone in" into accommodation and off the streets

This shows what can he done if you have the will and the resources but we need our Government to commit further money & humane changes to the "No Recourse to Public Funds" (NRPF) rules to get rid of the blight in our society of vulnerable people sleeping on our streets.