Volunteering with Crisis at Christmas (2)
This year, I am going to be a volunteer with the charity for the homeless Crisis at Christmas. At the induction session for new volunteers, we were given some background information on the scale and nature of homelessness.
- Some 60% of the homeless say that they are lonely.
- Some 70% of the homeless say that they feel invisible.
- Someone who is homeless is 17 times more likely than the general public to be the subject of violence, sadly often from members of the public.
- The average life expectancy of a homeless person is just 47.
- One in four homeless people spend Christmas alone.
- Over the last six years, the scale of homelessness has increased.
- In the last year alone, rough sleeping has increased by around 50% in England with around 8,000 in London spending at least one night on the streets.
- It is estimated that in England there are around 250,00o people who are homeless or have no permanent place to live (using squats, hostels or friends).