We were pleased to help raise awareness for the work of Trinity Homeless Projects, who are based in Uxbridge and support those across Hillingdon who are sadly without a place of their own. 

Our Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Ali Milani, and Membership Secretary, James Clouting, slept rough with dozens of other local residents in what was a realistic experience of the cold and discomfort those sleeping on the streets face. 

Trinity receive 800 referrals a year, including those who are forced to sleep in cars or ‘sofa surf’. One recent count saw 110 people sleeping rough in Hillingdon and Slough – where Trinity has a partnership with SHOC – and it is suspected that figure is even higher. This is simply unacceptable and a national embarrassment in the sixth richest country in the world. One of the most damning and saddest statistics from the evening came from Steve Hedley, Trinity’s CEO, who said that anyone sleeping on the street tonight has an average life expectancy of 47 years old. Truly shocking.  

Ali Milani speaking at The Big Sleepout 

The sleep out raised over £80,000 which will help Trinity’s plans to open:    

• A winter night shelter in Hayes later this month.
• Permanent emergency accommodation, which will house 60 people in the next year.
• A further 20 houses that will provide supported housing to a further 100 people, housing a total of 350 people in the next 12 months.

Around 120,000 children were without a home of their own this Christmas and homelessness has increased by 169% since 2010.

In government, Labour will make 4,000 homes available for those with a history of rough sleeping. They will also end rough sleeping and build 100,000 genuinely affordable homes within their first term. Please see  https://labour.org.uk/manifesto/secure-homes-for-all/ for further details. 

How you can help locally:

• Donate essentials such as warm clothes, underwear, toiletries, tinned food, tea and coffee.
• Donate to or buy from Trinity’s furniture store.
• Volunteer – please contact Trinity for opportunities.
• Sign up for Trinity’s newsletters and follow them on social media @TrinityHomeless
• Join ‘Help the Homeless Hillingdon’ group on Facebook.
• Inform Street Link (streetlink.org.uk) of anyone you see sleeping rough.
• Don’t walk by – start a conversation or buy a rough sleeper a hot drink or food.

Please see www.wearetrinity.org.uk for further information

@UxbridgeLabour on Twitter and Facebook