Taking on a challenge to help end homelessness

Each year we’re amazed by the supporters who choose to raise money for St Mungo’s by taking on their own challenge, raising essential funds to help support our services. Will Potter, Events and Partnerships Officer, reflects on the fantastic achievements of our 2018 fundraising alumni and suggests some ways that you can get inspired to take on your own challenge for our 50th Anniversary next year.

Every year the St Mungo’s events team put on our creative hats and try to come up with new fundraising challenges. From running and cycling, to abseiling and video gaming, we try and keep up with new trends to offer our supporters the best event experience possible. Our creative inspiration is often outdone, however, by the daring imagination of our supporters.

In 2018 we’ve seen some truly astonishing achievements from fundraisers who have had an idea and ran (or cycled, parachuted, driven, kayaked, or wing-walked) with it.

Incredible feats of endurance

The year kicked off with Morgan, Elliot and Finn signing up to race a Tuk Tuk 3,000 kilometres across India over the course of 14 days. Jasmine decided to get around on her own two feet, signing up to run one of the great wonders, the Great Wall of China marathon.

Others chose to rise above planet Earth and take to the skies. Emily and Nerys skydived out of a plane at 14,000 feet and brave Sue has pledged to go one step further, and walk on the wings of a plane travelling at 130 miles per hour.

We’ve also seen some incredible feats of endurance. Agriculture company, Syngenta, organised a 24 hour football match; Darren and Paul kayaked the length of the River Thames, clocking up an incredible 150 miles in six days; and Gerald and Cathy entered the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race, paddling a total 125 miles with a lot of lugging the heavy canoe between locks.

Epic and outlandish challenges

Last week was the end of a seven week long, 650 mile journey for Leo Manning-Farnon, a bricklayer from North East London, who has been carrying a 25 kilogram bag of sand across the land from London to John O’Groats in the far north of Scotland.

Leo’s family first let us know about his epic plans and ambitious fundraising target at the beginning of the year. The audacity of the challenge was matched by Leo’s determination; his daily vlogs and inspirational journey has attracted press coverage and donations from all over the UK to support our work.

Successfully smashing targets

Our biggest team and most successful fundraisers this year are a 30 strong group called WHOOSH who are based in South London. They are an amazing collective of keen cyclists who take on a five day cycling challenge each year in aid of two charities; one local and one international.

They asked their sponsors to help them raise £10,000 – the equivalent cost of refurbishing two kitchens where our clients who have experienced homelessness can learn to cook. After cycling 300 miles from Lancaster to Ayr, they smashed their fundraising target, exceeding an incredible £12,000. WHOOSH!

Get inspired, get involved

We hope these daring tales of endeavour will inspire a future generation of fundraisers. St Mungo’s is turning 50 years old next year and we need the help, creativity, and dedication of our supporters more than ever. Run 50 kilometres, cycle 50 metres, swim 50 lengths…what will you choose?

Check out our current challenge events or get in touch with Will at events@mungos.org to receive a free fundraising pack and find out more about how you can plan your own fundraising event.

Our #16Days of Action against domestic abuse

This Sunday 25 November 2018 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and marks the start of 16 Days of Action against domestic abuse. Cat Glew, Women’s Strategy Manager, explains how homelessness and domestic abuse are linked and how St Mungo’s is taking action.

Women experience homelessness differently to men. In particular, gender based violence can be both a cause and a consequence of homelessness. Shockingly, half the women in St Mungo’s accommodation that have slept rough tell us that they have experienced violence or abuse from a partner or family member.

As Women’s Strategy Manager, my role is to improve the situations of the women we work with who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

We’re making a stand for women

A safe and secure home is the first step to recovery, so we must do all we can to keep women safe from abuse. That’s why St Mungo’s is proud to sign the Make a Stand pledge from the Chartered Institute of Housing. Developed in partnership with Women’s Aid and the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance, the pledge is a commitment to support all our staff and clients experiencing domestic abuse.

You may have read our recently published report from the University of York about the hidden harm of women sleeping rough. Women on the streets are exposed to frightening risks of sexual harassment, abuse and violence, but hiding from harm can also mean that they are hidden from help.

The 16 Days give us the chance to us to bring hidden issues to light. Across the organisation, we’ll be having honest conversations about abuse and relationships and connecting people with specialist support.

The United Nations’ theme for this year’s campaign is #HearMeToo. We must make sure that the global movement against harassment and abuse also reaches women who are homeless and hidden. We need action in government and in homelessness services to #MakeHerSeen.

The women we work with are blooming strong

It’s important that we take domestic abuse seriously, and understand the harms and risks. But as Women’s Strategy Manager, that’s just one part of my role.

The best part of my job is celebrating our women. Women face added stigma and shame while they are homeless. But that’s not how we see our female clients. We see women who have survived, who are strong and determined.

That’s why we’re taking part in the Blooming Strong campaign in our services this year, presenting a variety of women with a single flower, and celebrating in other ways such as planting flowers, creating sculptures and making time to chat over a cup of tea. The campaign is a celebration of the strength of women, including those who have survived gender based violence and abuse.

I can’t wait to see how our creative staff and clients will celebrate. Look out for more updates on our social media channels during the #16Days of Action.

Survivors of domestic abuse need a home for good

Everybody deserves a home where they can be safe from harm. Our Home for Good campaign report highlights that being forced to flee violence or abuse is one of a number of reasons why people struggle to move on from homelessness.

It’s vital that specialist support is in place so that women can leave the streets behind and we can end rough sleeping for good. During this 16 days of activism, why not sign our #HomeForGood open letter and call on the government to give homelessness services the funding they need.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, you can contact a specialist organisation for support:

National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247
National LGBT+ Helpline: 0800 999 5428
Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327

Why it’s time for the NHS to step up and play its part in ending rough sleeping

Rory Weal, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer, explains why St Mungo’s, together with more than 20 homelessness and health organisations, have joined forces to urge NHS England to spend more on specialist health interventions for people experiencing homelessness.

Rough sleeping has more than doubled since 2010. Spiralling housing costs, increasing insecurity for private renters and cuts to services that prevent homelessness have all played their part. But rough sleeping is not just a housing problem, it’s a health problem too.

One person dies every day while sleeping rough

We face a situation where on average one person dies every day while sleeping rough or in emergency accommodation and many more have to cope every day with serious health conditions. Of the people seen sleeping rough in London in 2017-18, 50% had mental health problems, 43% were alcohol users and 40% were drug users. An estimated 46% had physical health conditions.

Complex needs like these are mutually reinforcing. Without targeted interventions and support, many people end up stuck in a cycle of homelessness, poor heath, and – sadly too often – premature death.

People can get stuck in a vicious cycle

The issue of homeless health has gained increased attention in recent months. Over the summer the Government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy contained expectations for the NHS to be spending £30 million on health services for people who sleep rough. The Chief Executive of the NHS, Simon Stevens, also made similar promises that the needs of people sleeping rough would be addressed in the upcoming Long Term Plan for the NHS.

This attention is welcome and long overdue. Health problems, particularly mental health problems, are often the reason why people are stuck sleeping rough. Poor mental health is an obstacle to engaging with services that can help move people off the street, while at the same time being homeless prevents people getting the mental health support they desperately need. This increases their exposure to the dangers of life on the street, and as a consequence, also increases their risk of early death.

Urgent and emergency care costs are high

The human costs of neglecting to address these issues are severe, but so are the financial costs. Estimates suggest the costs of treating homelessness for hospital inpatient and A&E admissions alone run to £2,100 per person per year, compared to £525 among the general population. In 2010 the total cost of urgent or emergency care for people sleeping rough was estimated to be £85 million per year, but this represents only a small fraction of the total costs to health services. The current figure is likely to be significantly higher.

Without a conscious, proactive effort by the NHS and wider social services these barriers, and the resulting poor and costly health outcomes, will continue to persist, in turn costing core and acute services more in the process.

The Long Term Plan is an opportunity for change

The Long Term Plan is being developed by the NHS to cover the next decade of service delivery, and will be published later this year. It presents a vital opportunity to reduce the appalling health inequalities which exist for some of the most vulnerable and unwell people in our society.

The £30 million promised by the Government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy is an insignificant amount in the context of the wider costs associated with homelessness. That’s why St Mungo’s, together with 20 other organisations across the homelessness and health sectors, want to see at least this amount pledged every year to develop specialist services for people who sleep rough, delivered in partnership with local authorities.

Specialist interventions – such as dedicated mental health teams working with people on the street, or tailored services to increase access to general practice – can prevent admissions to acute service like A&E further down the line. When delivered in partnership with local agencies and homelessness services, these initiatives can be an essential in helping people off the streets too.

We hope the contents of the Long Term Plan will build on the real momentum we have seen on the issue of homeless health in recent months.

St Mungo’s, together with more than 20 homelessness and health organisations – including Homeless Link and The Queen’s Nursing Institute – wrote earlier this week to the Chief Executive of NHS England, calling for more action to address the appalling health outcomes faced by people sleeping rough. You can read our joint policy briefing, developed with Homeless Link, here.

We campaign for an end to homelessness, making sure the voices of our clients are heard by decision-makers at every level. To join us and speak out for people experiencing homelessness, become a campaigner today.

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Month: November 2018