Rising youth homelessness alarms Hull soup kitchen as winter approaches

As temperatures drop and the nights grow colder, a Hull soup kitchen is witnessing a concerning trend: more young people sleep rough on the city’s streets.

Ladle with Love, a team of volunteers dedicated to supporting the homeless, has reported a significant rise in the number of teenagers seeking help.

Every Monday night, volunteers serve hot meals and offer a bit of comfort to those in need. But in recent weeks, they’ve noticed a troubling shift in the demographics of those they serve.

According to leader Karl Skerrett the team has seen a marked increase in young people—many of them teenagers—who are turning up for a meal and some advice.

Karl Skerrett, leader of 'Ladle With Love, said:

"Numbers are going up. A lot of younger people as well, and we're sofa safe and it is difficult. Winter's really harsh. We've even had somebody sleeping on our steps at work where I work the last week or so. But we are seeing a lot of new faces.

"There are a lot of younger, 18 to 20 year olds. There's been quite a few just lately. Obviously we signpost them to where they need to go. I think we had about 70 people on Monday evening.

"It is very expensive. We have got some good supermarkets on board. Fortunately we do get most of our things to cook.

"Getting a referral is difficult enough to get some treatment. They get it, but they're kicked out after a couple of weeks and they're not ready. They're starting them off on the road to recovery, but then they're back to square one again and back on the streets. So it is difficult for everybody at the moment."