Hull City Council Leader Cllr Mike Ross will be participating in the Big Sleep Out at Craven Park on Thursday 7 November. The fundraising event is aiming to raise vital funds for three local causes that address issues including homelessness, youth activities and end of life care. Homelessness and rough sleeping is a global problem, and in the UK it is increasing due to the chronic shortage of affordable housing.
The Big Sleep Out aims to bring together business and other senior leaders from across Hull and East Yorkshire and get them out of their comfort zones, spending the night on the cold concrete stands at Craven Park. This will help them experience some of the conditions that rough sleepers have to endure. By participating, they will also be raising money for three charities, Hull Homeless and Rootless Project (Hull HARP), Dove House Hospice, and Hull KR Foundation.
Contemplating his night out in the open, Cllr Ross said: “I cannot imagine what it must be like to spend every night sleeping outside. I am very thankful knowing it will just be one night for me and that in the morning I will be able to return to the warmth and comfort of my own home.
“I hope that the Big Sleep Out, as a high-profile event, will draw attention to the challenges faced by too many who are out on the streets and the need for better funding nationally to eradicate rough sleeping and prevent homelessness, as well as raising awareness about what’s going on locally.”
Hull City Council is committed to combatting rough sleeping in the city through its Changing Futures Programme. This partnership sees a number of organisations working together, one of just 17 nationwide, and aims to improve outcomes for people with multiple disadvantages. The partnership includes an outreach team which goes out every day, seven days a week to check and offer help to rough sleepers and encourages them to engage with Changing Futures so that they can be supported into accommodation and ultimately to lead more meaningful lives.
Partners offering a wide range of services relevant to the needs of rough sleepers operate from a single location in the city centre; and work collaboratively to improve outcomes for adults experiencing multiple unmet needs. These include combinations of substance misuse, mental health problems, domestic abuse, and contact with the criminal justice system.
Cllr Ross added: £I am proud of what Changing Futures is delivering in Hull. But, for every rough sleeper we help, another one takes their place. A national solution is required for a national housing supply crisis. Hopefully, events like the Big Sleep Out which are taking place across the country will encourage change and make a difference.”
