The context

​

Homelessness in all its forms is rising across London. This all-year shelter in Southall, is one response by the local community, to what one leading founder called, ‘the most visible form of social injustice’. According to London’s Poverty Profile, street homelessness, also called 'rough sleeping', is recorded as having ‘increased every year since 2007’ and is described as ‘one of the most extreme forms of poverty’.

​

Foundation

​

The Night Shelter in Southall opened for the first time on Wednesday 6 January 2016 and, until the beginning of the pandemic, opened each evening to provide shelter for 14 street homeless, who were found and verified by the Ealing Street and Community Outreach Team. It was managed by Hope for Southall Street Homeless and welcomed only those rough sleepers found in Southall. Ealing is in the first 8 of the 32 London boroughs with the highest levels of homelessness.

​

Covid-19 response

​

The Coronavirus pandemic had a significant negative impact on the lives of our guests and the resources HSSH could offer. The Covid-19 guidance saw the end of sheltered accommodation in local church halls due to the risks involved for staff and volunteers, with insufficient social distancing in shared open spaces, lack of proper ventiliation, etc.

 

However, over the course of the pandemic, the charity continued to support rough sleepers, self-isolating in hotels, by providing vital human contact – virtually and in-person, when possible. HSSH has also worked to secure access to specialised health services, when necessary, in the hotels where our guests are staying.

 

​