Here is the full version of the e-bulletin February 2024.

A welcome to Rev Cate Allison as the new Chair of Manchester Homelessness Partnership I’m Cate, I’m a Priest in the Church of England based at St Paul’s Church in Withington. Before I was ordained, I worked for several voluntary sector organisations and for Manchester City Council. I spent many years in advice work. I managed a Citizens Advice Bureau in Old Trafford and set up and managed a specialist Mental Health CAB based on the Prestwich Hospital site and working across Salford. I set up mental health advocacy services in both Salford and Trafford. During my time at Manchester City Council I worked in regeneration and then set up and managed Sure Start Programmes in Moston, Harpurhey and Cheetham before taking a role managing and commissioning services for under fives across north Manchester. My last job before ordination was as CEO of Manchester Action on Street Health (MASH) where we offered a range of holistic services to women who were sex working. In my time at MASH I worked to raise the profile of women’s homelessness and set up services for women who were street begging. Throughout my career I have developed partnerships and worked in collaboration with a wide range of organisations and individuals. I am passionate about ensuring the genuine inclusion of people with lived experience. I am currently a trustee for the Church Urban Fund (CUF) and its sister charity Near Neighbours. CUF is a national charity which aims to “Equip people and churches to make a difference where they live”. I’m really looking forward to chairing the Manchester Homelessness Partnership Board. I already know the work of many of the brilliant people and organisations working across the city and just how much commitment has gone into developing true partnership working. I hope to make a small contribution to making that partnership working even more effective.

Calls To Action Prevention Action Group

The Prevention Action Group is collating service information from organisations that support people or families facing homeless. Here is a link to the services questionnaire to complete. Your support is is very much appreciated.

Health Action Group

A Health Action Group is being developed by Cornerstones, Caritas . If you are interested in being part of this action group, please email info@mhp.org.uk

Young People Action Group

A Young People Action Group is being developed by akt and Centrepoint. If you are interested in being part of this action group, please email info@mhp.org.uk

Information about all of our action groups can be found on the Manchester Homelessness Partnership website.

Useful Information

Revive Dental Homeless Outreach Clinic

Revive Dental runs Homeless Outreach Clinics from Ancoats Primary Care Centre every Tuesday and Wednesday.

– Tuesday from 10am till 12pm.

– Wednesday from 9am till 11.30am.

These clinics are emergency clinics to get the patient out of pain. People can turn up between these times, sit and wait to be seen. Call 0161 274 1655 for further information. The address is First Floor, Ancoats Primary Care Centre, Old Mill Street, Manchester, M4 6EE. On arrival, people are asked to go to the community desk and let reception know they are coming to the outreach dental and they will be let upstairs. There is also the Greater Manchester Urgent Dental Care Telephony Service which can be accessed by calling 0333 332 3800.

High-Intensity Use of Accident and Emergency Services

A new service from the British Red Cross is coming to Manchester. The British Red Cross already provides High Intensity Use services across all seven NHS regions which can reduce A&E attendance and non-elective admissions amongst people who frequently attend by up to 84 per cent. This non-clinical service will work with people to understand the reasons behind repeat visits to A&E and provide personalised support. The service will be going live first at Wythenshawe Hospital and then followed by Manchester Royal Infirmary and North Manchester General Hospital emergency departments. Emergency Department staff will be able to refer a patient with their consent to this new service. This report from the British Red Cross – Nowhere else to turn: exploring high intensity use of accident and emergency services, shows that people from the most deprived areas of the UK are more likely to be in poor health and most likely to attend A&E most frequently. High intensity use of A&E is fundamentally a health inequalities issue.

DePaul Nightstop and Family Support and Mediation

DePaul offer emergency accommodation and family mediation to 16-25 year olds and young people can self-refer.

Nightstop Greater Manchester is an emergency accommodation service for young people facing homelessness who are placed in the homes of trained and vetted volunteers. Email nightstop.gm@depaulcharity.org.uk or call 0161 507 3414.

Family Support and Mediation – Relationship breakdown is a leading cause of youth homelessness. Their free mediation and family support services in Greater Manchester help young people to resolve conflict and avoid homelessness. To refer yourself or someone else in Greater Manchester please call 0161 507 3414 or email familysupport.GM@depaulcharity.org.uk.

Glossary of Acronyms

Here is a list of commonly used acronyms to help communicate when working in partnership from the Greater Manchester Homeless Action Network.

Introducing the first free library non-stigmatising images of people experiencing homelessness

The first free library showcasing realistic and evidence-led images of people experiencing homelessness that seek to challenge negative representations has been launched by the Centre for Homelessness Impact . The images, which depict people experiencing homelessness in natural and non-stereotypical ways, are available for download and free to use. Building on evidence relating to the reinforcing effect of negative images of homelessness, the library will hold images that offer an alternative to the archetypal depiction of single middle-aged men sleeping in doorways, and instead capture a wider breadth of experiences of homelessness in the UK, including families living in hostels, young people in bed and breakfast accommodation and people who are ‘sofa surfing’.

Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit

Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit is a voluntary organisation supporting people subject to immigration control for over 25 years. They offer free legal advice, representation and support services to people seeking asylum, refugees, children and vulnerable adults.

Making Manchester Fairer

Manchester continues to grow as a successful city. But we also need to face up to the inequalities stopping some communities from sharing in that success. Making Manchester Fairer is the long-term plan for this.

Niall’s Corner

I volunteer at Coffee4Craig in Manchester who work with street homeless people. My role is the lead liaison worker for arranging bank accounts and birth certificates for homeless people with no identification. In my spare time I voluntarily compile food poverty lists amongst other information as they are a much needed and a well-used resource. Greater Manchester Food banks and Pantries List Here is the most up to date, comprehensive list of food banks and pantries covering all Greater Manchester – 278 food banks and pantries listed. Please feel free to share this list.

Manchester homeless services list and free phone locations

Thanks to Niall for updating these lists (Part 1) and (Part 2) of homeless services operating in Manchester and where to find free phone, charging and Wi-Fi locations across the city.

Places for Everyone – Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Places for Everyone is a long-term plan of nine Greater Manchester districts (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan) for jobs, new homes, and sustainable growth. The Places for Everyone Examination has now concluded. The Inspectors’ report on the examination of the Places for Everyone Plan which sets out their recommendations was received on 14 February 2024.

What you need to know, to end rough sleeping

Ellie Atkins is a registered social worker in Manchester. Please watch these three videos to understand about Beryl and what impacts her executive functioning and how to work with people experiencing trauma in their lives. Executive function describes a group of mental processes which work together to help someone to plan, focus and shift attention, be aware of time, remember instructions and juggle multiple mental tasks successfully.

Episode 1 – 13 minutes and 17 seconds

Episode 2 – 10 minutes and 15 seconds

Episode 3 – 7 minutes and 56 seconds

Homelessness does not affect us all equally

A new report from the Centre for Homelessness tells us that there is significant over-representation of people from ethnic minorities among the people experiencing homelessness. Find out more in their report on race and homelessness.