The FREE monthly for the West Midlands’ hom February 2012 2 / The Pavement, February 2012 “There, but for the grace of God, go I” The Pavement, February 2012 / 3 www.thepavement.org.uk The Editor Issue 15 / West Midlands / Feb 2012 Published by The Pavement West Midlands Welcome back PO Box 15635 Birmingham Hope this finds you all safe and well after the festive season: B29 9DD it feels like an age since we signed off for Christmas. Registered Charity Number 1110656 Our reporters have worked off their mince pies by dashing e: [email protected] around the Midlands to bring you the latest news: cuts in Cov- Editor-in-Chief entry; numbers on the rise in Nottingham; and a budding new Richard Burdett service. We can’t promise it’s all good news for the New Year, but we’re nothing but honest here at The Pavement! West Midlands Editor Don’t forget to get in touch (details to the left) if Amber Woodfull there’s anything you want us to investigate. Until next time… News Editor Amy Hopkins Amber Woodfull Web Editor Editor Val Stevenson [email protected] twitter.com/thepavementwm Reporters John Ashmore, Elizabeth Barker Emma Batrick, Lizzie Cernik Dearbhla Crosse, Rebecca Evans Katharine Hibbert, Emma Jarvis Sarah Napier, Jim O’Reilly, Jo O’Reilly Carinya Sharples, Karen Squire Chris Swann, Fraser Tennant Contents Photographers Cover Rufus Exton, Katie Hyams Contributors Street Shield takes a break this month to give space to our new Susie Rathie, Toe Slayer, Evelyn Weir campaign poster warning readers about the dangers of sleeping in bins – poster pages 18-19 Cartoonists Artwork by Mike Donaldson Neil Bennett, Cluff, Pete Dredge Kathryn Lamb, Ed McLachlan, Ken Pyne News Pages Steve Way, Mike Williams Artists/Designers West Midlands news 5–9 Mike Donaldson, Lo Parkin Missing People 7 News-in-brief 11–23 Printed by Homeless city guide 12 Evon Print Ltd, United Kingdom Street Life The Pavement is written for your entertainment and information. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy Bin death – stay out and stay safe 18–19 of the publication, The Pavement cannot Street Shield – back next month be held responsible for the use of the See the nurse – the health column 24 information it publishes. The contents Foot care – care for your pair 25 should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical, legal or professional advice. The List (incorporating soup runs) 36–27 The Pavement is a forum for discussion, and opinions expressed in the paper are not necessarily those of The Pavement. The Pavement (print) ISSN 1757-0476 The Pavement (online) ISSN 1757-0484 4 / The Pavement, February 2012 The Pavement, February 2012 / 5 West Midlands news All the homeless news from across the region and 1.30pm–3.30pm) or on Christmas shelter Birmingham winter Saturdays (10.30am–12.30am). Housing Justice convenes welcomes homeless shelter pilot a forum for church-run winter shelters which meets regularly One of Birmingham’s oldest Here at The Pavement, we have in London and supports the homeless shelters opened its been eagerly following the progress development of new shelters by doors and kitchens to hundreds of the pilot winter shelter in running training days. The charity of guests over Christmas, pro- Birmingham. We are pleased to also produces much needed viding food and warmth at a announce that the project will kick guidance for pilots, such as the time when social isolation – and off with a ‘trial run’ in February Shelter in a Pack resource, which the cold – are at their worst. so as to be firmly established for offers step-by-step support for Birmingham Christmas Shelter, a next winter. The Birmingham churches considering a pilot in charity formerly known as Birming- Diocese Thrive West Midlands team their neighbourhood. http://www. ham Open Christmas, provided hot is leading the pilot, with much- housingjustice.org.uk/resources. meals, refuge and companionship needed support and guidance from php/567/shelter-in-a-pack to the homeless and lonely from Housing Justice and the Birming- The steering group includes its base in St George’s Community ham Christian Homeless Forum. three representatives who work Hub, Newtown on 23–27 December. The five churches taking part in for and have strong relationships Volunteers for the charity the pilot include Birchfield (Perry with local homelessness charities, – in its 31st year – worked around Barr), Weoley Castle and Newtown. ensuring that the winter shelter the clock to welcome guests and They will provide basic accom- links in with local established served a remarkable 1,345 meals modation, dinner, breakfast and charities and services. St Martin’s over the five-day open house. washing facilities every night for ten in the Bullring will provide ongoing Homeless visitors to the shelter homeless people with low support sign-posting and support to people were able to make use of all- needs on Fridays (Newtown), staying in the shelters, especially to important health care provisions Saturdays (Weoley Castle) and help find appropriate sustainable as well as try out less accessible Monday nights (Birchfield). Volun- accommodation and other support holistic services such as medita- teers have taken part in valuable services once the shelter has closed. tion, chiropody and yoga. Some training on how the pilot will run. guests even spent their Christmas The pilot shelter will run for Amber Woodfull studying osteology – the structure a month starting on Friday, 3 of bones in relation to health. February. It will launch – fittingly Birmingham Christmas Shelter – during Poverty and Homeless- Homelessness on the rise is staffed entirely by volunteers ness Action week (28 January – 5 and relies upon donations in order February). Organisers hope to set up in Nottingham to survive. 2012’s fundraising has a longer running shelter with more already begun with a stylish dona- churches for the following winter. Framework, a Nottingham-based tion from Birmingham’s Bullring Referrals to the shelter will be homelessness charity, expects Shopping Centre. “We’re auctioning handled by the helpdesk team at to see the numbers of home- off the giant festive jumper worn St Martin’s in the Bullring. If you less people on the city’s streets by the famous Bullring bull,” says are already in touch with SIFA increase over the next 12 months. shelter trustee Dave Young. “We’re Fireside, the Health Xchange or Framework provides almost hoping this iconic piece of knitwear Reach Out Network, please ask 8,000 homeless and vulnerable will raise much-needed funds and your support worker to contact St people each year with the resources a few smiles along the way.” Martin’s Helpdesk. Alternatively, to live independent lives by offering you can visit St Martin’s Helpdesk choice and opportunity. Like so Elizabeth Barker on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays many other charities, it is suffer- and Fridays (10.30am–12.30pm ing from funding cuts. Its hostel 6 / The Pavement, February 2012 is already at capacity because years. But is the government doing Sleeping out for St Basil’s increasing numbers of people are enough, when last year nearly 2,000 staying longer due to a housing people slept rough every night? On Friday 2 December 2011, 350 shortage, so the numbers of people With more and more people of Birmingham’s finest gathered sleeping rough is inevitably rising. feeling the pressure of the current in a frosty car park wearing their Mr Cully, the manager of the economic climate, will this warmest attire to take part in the London Road hostel, said: “People investment be enough to keep 22nd annual St Basil’s sleep-out. are becoming homeless for normal vital services offered by organisa- The charity provides support reasons like losing their job, having tions like Framework open and and accommodation to homeless trouble with bills. A lot of it is prevent the numbers of rough young people. Based in Digbeth, obviously down to the economic sleepers increasing in 2012? they have 27 supported housing problems that we’re going projects across Birmingham and a through... Hopefully, we can move Emma Jarvis further three in Worcestershire. people through the system quicker.” The sleep-out has become a core The government is investing • Read about the rough part of the fundraising they rely on £400m over four years to support sleeper hotline run by Frame- to provide vital support to 4,000 2011 © Jones Ellie by Photography the work of local authorities and work – story page 23 young people in the Midlands every the voluntary sector and has said year. It is fun and raises aware- that statutory homelessness is lower than in 28 of the last 30 The Pavement, February 2012 / 7 ness of what homeless people go James and his co-presenter Rachel through every night. Lucy Hackett, New from Heart FM, which raised head of fundraising at St Basil’s, substantial funds by discussing and explained that the money helps promoting the sleep-out on the ensure that other young people do show. The duo soaked up the atmos- not have to spend a night on the phere of the night and weren’t street. It will go towards helping afraid to get their hands dirty in 16- to 25-year-olds who are home- the shelter building competition! less and provide individuals who are Unfortunately, the people from vulnerable and at risk with essential the Welsh House Farm Community support and prevention services Project were unable to attend this such as family mediation, housing year because of illness, but they aid and advice, and working to were determined to raise some increase individuals’ confidence money.