Action on homelessness needs to be taken now before the winter hits, and for the longer term, the Mayor told a packed breakfast debate in Bristol on Thursday 29 September.
Speaking to representatives of voluntary organisations, Bristol City Council, GPs, housing providers and business leaders, Mr Rees pledged his support for the #nomore campaign started by Golden Key, a citywide partnership led by Second Step.
The audience also heard from Professor Alex Marsh, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Bristol, Matt Griffith, Director of Policy at Business West, Adam Rees, Golden Key partner and Regional Director at St Mungo’s and Darren Nuttall a founding member and former Chair of IF, a group of people with first hand experience of homelessness, mental health and drug and alcohol dependency which acts as an advisory group to the Big Lottery funded Golden Key programme.
Golden Key research shows that 44% of our clients have experienced homelessness in the last three months and 32% of the blocks and barriers which prevent our clients moving on with their lives relate to housing. Bristol has the highest number of rough sleepers outside London.
Later, representative of key organisations discussed a plan of action to tackle homelessness as part of a radical new ‘city office’ which the Mayor has created to look at the issue. Watch this space for next moves and join our #nomore conversation on Twitter @goldkeyBristol.