'We don't want to celebrate turning 50 until every homeless person can' says Canterbury charity
Porchlight are refusing to celebrate their 50th Anniversary
A Kent charity say's it won't celebrate it's 50th anniversary knowing homeless people do not live to be that age.
Canterbury-based Porchlight says the average age of death for people living on the streets is 45 for men and just 43 for women.
Chris Thomas works for the charity and he believes the government need to take notice.
He said: “Until everyone can celebrate their 50th birthday, we won’t be celebrating ours. It wouldn’t feel right, especially when winter is fast approaching and sleeping out in the cold can kill.
“And although we’re doing everything we can to keep people safe, funding cuts have scaled back the help we’re able to provide. At the same time, homelessness is getting worse. So we’re using our 50th anniversary to raise the alarm about the danger people face.”
He adds: “Our charity’s founders could never have imagined that five decades on the situation would be so dire.”
Porchlight’s tent installation will appear at eight locations across Kent, starting on World Homeless Day (10 October) and finishing in November full list of dates and locations below.
Messages written on the tents highlight the fact that in the UK, the average age of death for people living on the streets is 45 for men and just 43 for women.*
Chris Thomas says: “It’s an uncomfortable truth, but nobody should feel comfortable about this - least of all our politicians. We hope this installation amplifies the danger people face and that someone in a position of power takes notice and takes action.”
The tents also contain quotes from people who’ve been helped by Porchlight. This includes Jacqui who celebrated her 60th birthday earlier this year and will celebrate by doing a sponsored skydive for Porchlight at the end of October.
She says: “At night I walked up and down, with blisters on my feet. I didn’t sleep, I was too scared. I thought the minute I stood still would be the minute I wouldn’t wake up. I dread to think where I’d be without Porchlight.”
Jacqui’s story reflects the deadly reality for everyone forced to sleep on the streets this winter. Despite suffering some setbacks this year, Porchlight will do everything it can to speak up for people who don’t have a voice and keep them safe.