by Gerry Warren
gwarren@thekmgroup.co.uk

No-one who endures a single night sleeping rough should have to suffer another on the streets.

That is the aim of a new initiative which has just resulted in the Canterbury-based charity Porchlight receiving a £250,000 grant.

The money is part of an £8m pot being awarded by the Homelessness Transition Fund and Porchlight is one of 41 projects to make a successful bid.

Porchlight says it has had a 93% increase in the number of referrals to its rough sleeper service in the past year but its funding has been cut by 75%.

Now, from February 2012, the charity will receive £250,000 over 12 months to support new rough sleepers though its project called No Second Night Out.

The funding will give Porchlight the opportunity to refocus existing services for rough sleepers, establishing seven hubs across the county that provide vital support to tackle health, debt and housing needs of those people sleeping on the streets.

They will work in partnership with all local authorities in Kent and Medway, as well as a range of other agencies and charities to enable them to do this.

Chris Coffey, strategic manager for outreach at Porchlight, said: “We are delighted to be chosen as one of the organisations to receive a grant from the Homelessness Transition Fund.

"It will enable us to continue to deliver vital services to people who are sleeping rough in Kent and Medway, at a time when other funding is being cut.

“Porchlight will be working in partnership with the 13 local authorities in Kent and Medway to create a reactive outreach service which will be responsive to those who are new to sleeping on the streets, supporting the principles of No Second Night Out.

“We will also be seeking volunteers to help us deliver this service.

"This involvement from the local community is vital to ensuring that we reach people who need our help as quickly as possible.”