With temperatures soaring well into the 30s in London this summer, the streets can become an uncomfortable, and dangerous, place for the city's homeless. Severe dehydration, sunstroke, and sunburn are among the risks faced.
Homelessness charity Evolve Housing + Support has produced a list of tips for how Londoners can help rough sleepers and save lives, by donating the following items either directly to individuals or to shelters:
- Sun cream to help prevent skin damage
- A bottle of water and food for hydration
- Hats and sunglasses to prevent sunstroke and avoid risk of eye damage
- Hand-held fans to lower body temperature and prevent heatstroke
- Baby wipes to help with sanitation and avoiding athlete’s foot
Evolve is also calling on members of the public who see homeless people struggling with the heat to direct them to StreetLink, who can then connect them to local authorities for support.
Debra Ives, Director of Operations at Evolve Housing + Support, said:
People tend to remember the homeless in the freezing winter months, but high temperatures can be even more dangerous for them. People sleeping rough are exceptionally vulnerable in the summer months, when long days and direct sun can make life unbearable and become a risk to life.
A lot of people sleeping rough don’t have the basic items needed to survive on the streets in hot temperatures. As a result, we’re calling on the public to donate things like sun cream, water, and sun hats, to help those at risk in the coming months. People can either offer them directly, or donate them to a shelter or charity.
