As we enter the winter months, we are especially mindful of those in our communities across Essex and East London who are experiencing homelessness. Winter is the hardest time of year for those without a safe place to call home, with dangerously cold temperatures and longer nights that place already vulnerable people at significant risk.

Pope Leo XIV said that the Church, “perhaps especially in our time, still wounded by old and new forms of poverty, hopes to be ‘a mother of the poor, a place of welcome and justice’ [“Dilexi Te,” No. 39].” This invitation is particularly urgent when we consider the realities faced by rough sleepers and families in temporary accommodation within our own local areas. As Catholics, we are called to action and many of our Parishes are providing safe spaces this winter, food packages and resources.

In collaboration with Your Place Anchor House, we have created a resource designed to raise awareness of the experiences of people facing homelessness. It can be used for a Secondary School Assembly, form-time reflection or a Parish Youth Group session. We hope this supports young people in deepening their understanding and recognising their role in responding with faith and action.

You can view/use the resource by clicking here.

Your Place is a charity dedicated to solving homelessness in East London, one person at a time. To offer hope, a home and a healing place to grow, where people who’ve lost their homes can get the individual support they need within a safe, caring community. View their website by clicking here.

Your chance to raise awareness and help those experiencing homelessness across Essex and East London.

Over the last five years, young people, leaders, staff, and catechists have spent the night sleeping out in gardens, car parks, and on school fields to better understand what it feels like to sleep rough throughout the Diocese and to raise thousands of pounds for local homeless charities.

To find out how to host your own sponsored sleepout, click here

Raising awareness of homelessness in Essex and East London is crucial to fostering a collective sense of responsibility. By shedding light on those experiencing homelessness, we can dispel stereotypes, challenge misconceptions and foster a better understanding of how to help those in need in this area. All this will help us support local initiatives, charities and government programmes that provide shelter, resources and long-term solutions, creating a more well-informed and compassionate community.