Six months since its launch, the new Rough Sleepers Hub in Canning Town have supported 27 people off  the streets of Newham.

The London Borough of Newham, has the third highest concentration of rough sleepers with 615 people recorded.

The Rough Sleepers Hub, launched at Newham homeless charity Caritas Anchor House in December 2018, opened as part of central government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy and the London Borough of Newham’s commitment to tackling homelessness in the borough.

Iulian, aged 33, moved into Caritas Anchor House’s hub after spending ten weeks sleeping rough. Six weeks later, he was chuffed to receive the keys to his new home:

I was living in a house-share, sharing a room with three people I didn’t know. It was part of the deal with my job and my landlord, who was also my employer, said he would deduct the rent directly from my wages. But my wages never came. I worked unpaid for six weeks and kept asking my employer when I would receive the money, but he told me to leave.

With nowhere to go, I had no choice but to sleep on the streets. I slept mainly in well-lit passages, and where I could, public places with CCTV. I thought I was less likely to be attacked if passers-by could see me.

When I moved into Caritas Anchor House I was so relieved. I finally had a stable roof over my head, and could stay long enough to get my life back on track. Once I got here, I knew I wouldn’t ever go back to the street.

The hub, which is funded until March 2020, provides support, advice and interventions, supporting residents in their journeys away from rough sleeping and into accommodation. The hub is in addition to Caritas Anchor House’s core service, which provides longer-term accommodation to over 200 homeless people each year.

To make a donation, please visit www.caritasanchorhouse.org.uk

Image credit: Iulian who recieved support from the Rough Sleepers Hub receiving the keys to his new home from hub worker, Zainab.