Carys NallyWest of England
PA MediaA emergency weather provision has been activated over the festive period.
Somerset Council’s Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP) will ensure rough sleepers can access emergency accommodation from Christmas Eve to 5 January to prevent harm or death due to the severe weather.
The response is used by many local authorities when there is a forecast of 0C or below. A cold health alert has been issued for the South West from Christmas Day to 27 Sunday.
A spokesperson for the council said: “Please help to spread the message that suitable accommodation may be available for rough sleepers during the severe weather over this Christmas and New Year season.”
“Please check if you can access the service by calling 0300 123 22 24 during office hours and 0300 123 23 27 out of office hours as early as possible,” they added.
Outreach teams are contacting rough sleepers in Somerset to encourage them to take up offer of emergency accommodation. They will offer additional support for anyone continuing to sleep rough during SWEP.
The council said SWEP in Somerset had two aims:
• To ensure that no-one dies on the streets due to severe weather
• To ensure every effort is made to engage individuals with support
In a statement, the council said if you are concerned someone is sleeping rough in Somerset during the severe weather, please visit Street Link to refer them, so they can get access to suitable accommodation.
