Below zero temperatures worry charities supporting the homeless in Herts

The cold weather is due to continue into the weekend

New Hope charity in Watford
Author: Zoe Head-ThomasPublished 20th Jan 2024

With the cold weather come concerns for the welfare and safety of vulnerable adults, particularly rough sleepers across Hertfordshire.

Charities are working tirelessly to support them and offer them food, shelter and beds throughout the winter months.

For New Hope, a charity based in Watford, supporting them is as much about ensuring no person is left on the street in below zero temperatures, as it is to offer them guidance to get back on their feet.

Key worker at New Hope, Juliette Morrison, said: "All year around, we're open as the haven day centre so that's offering a hot meal between the hours of 8.30 and 10.30, the opportunity to have a shower, clean clothes, leave their washing."

"...we're constantly looking for different solutions to help people move on so that they don't get stuck at the end of winter with still nowhere to move on to."

In a comfortable, cosy and community setting, the centre is set up with sofas, a television, computers, dining tables, a bathroom and kitchen to offer rough sleepers the opportunity to feel at home.

In addition to their daily service, the charity can house up to 15 people in shared bedrooms on the upper floor, open to those in need from December to the end of March.

Each person coming through the door is given an assessment, following a referral from the council, so they can be either housed directly at the centre or redirected to a different service.

Ms Morrison said: "Since the 1st of December we've helped around 40 people, which obviously, we're six weeks in we've still got a while to go, but we're constantly looking for different solutions to help people move on so that they don't get stuck at the end of winter with still nowhere to move on to."

The team of volunteers and staff at New Hope pride themselves in the hard work they do, especially in not giving up on anyone.

"I can think of a particular gentleman who came in, we took time, we listened and were able to move him through the services and now he's successfully become a teacher..."

Ms Morrison told Greatest Hits Radio it is a core part of their work to ensure no one is left behind, and it often turns into success stories.

She said: "I can think of a particular gentleman who came in, we took time, we listened and were able to move him through the services and now he's successfully become a teacher and is helping other people."

With current pressures, an increasing number of people are being pushed out on the street with nowhere to go.

It can be incredibly difficult for those individuals, and the biggest challenge can sometimes be to ask for help.

Ms Morrison said: "To walk into our buildings sometimes we've known people who've said it's taken them a few days to work up the courage to walk in because they didn't know what they were going to find."

If you want to find out more about the charity, you can visit their website or call their landline on 0300 012 0168.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Greatest Hits Radio app.