Emergency measures triggered to protect homeless people from freezing

Emergency measures have stepped up across Staffordshire and Cheshire to protect homeless people from the freezing temperatures.

During extremely cold weather – specifically when temperatures fall to zero degrees or lower on a single night – councils across our two counties trigger what is called the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.

The measures include the opening of special night shelters, either operated by councils or funded by councils to local charities, to try and get rough sleepers off the streets and into warmth overnight.

The MET Office has a yellow warning for snow and ice in place across Cheshire and most of North Staffordshire, with temperatures set to plummet to as low as -7 in places like the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Rough sleeper teams and officers also patrolling hotspots and town centres from 6am each day to try and find temporary accommodation for anyone they come across.

Trevor Bailey from Connect 2 Combat Homelessness is operating the emergency night shelter on Merrial Street in Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre.

He says: "They can get washed, changed. Have some food.

"We've got small single beds all with fresh bedding. We've got a sofa and armchairs. We have a large room which can take up to 5 people and a smaller room which is intended for female use, that can take up to two people.

"We have TVs and X-Boxes for them to play on and they can watch DVDs if they wish.

"Another room we've got set up as a canteen. It's got a hot water boiler so there's constant hot water all the time. There's a fridge, freezer and microwave and there's frozen ready meals they can help themselves too.

"They can make drinks and have fruit juice, or have tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or water."

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