The Friends are actively supporting a new campaign to help homeless people in Torbay.

It’s called TESH which stands for Torbay End Street Homelessness and is part of a world-wide initiative to counter a surge of numbers in all major cities.

The first step was a survey of rough sleepers during a week in April 2017. 30 were identified of whom 7 were women and 1 transgender.

In the past six months there have already been 137 different individuals recorded sleeping on the streets of Torbay (or in woods).

TESH hopes to get all volunteer groups working with homeless people, working together.

It aims to have

• A steering group of all local organisations/individuals who work with/have an interest in people who are street homeless to look at increasing housing options and possible joint Torbay funding bids.
• A steering group of all local organisations/individuals who work with people who are street homeless to agree a consistent response for rough sleepers, no matter which group/individual they make contact with
• A single data system that all groups/individuals can input people's names into (with their permission) so that people are not missed, or have duplicate work done with them

Cllr Mark King of Torbay Council said: “‘We all collectively have a responsibility to tackle the issue of street homelessness and assist those that sleep rough on the street of Torbay each night. This initiatives is about us all pulling together to make a difference.”

Find out more about TESH by going to: https://www.facebook.com/TESHCampaign/

A single phone contact to inform services of rough sleepers has been set up. 

Call 01803 217890 or you can email:  roughsleeper_torbay@outlook.com.