Sub-zero temperatures have prompted an increase in the number of homeless people in Belfast assisted through an emergency protocol to offer shelter, including at a church that has invited people in from the cold.
The Welcome Organisation, a charity that works with the homeless community in Belfast, has overseeing the move to bring homeless people in the city indoors in recent weeks, including on Wednesday night as temperatures plummeted into minus figures amid a Met Office yellow weather warning for ice.
The Serious Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is triggered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive when cold weather presents a risk to the lives of those sleeping rough.
Groups and charities including the Welcome Organisation then secure emergency temporary shelter at locations including St Mary’s Church in Belfast city centre.
Welcome outreach worker Ellie Hippsley said the loss of the charity’s former centre at Townsend Street in the west of the city meant it was now more of a challenge to secure safe shelter.
The former premises was targeted in an attack last July when a car was rammed into its shutters and set alight, causing “enormous” damage.
“As December approached this year, we were becoming increasingly concerned about what would happen when SWEP was implemented,” she said.
“Thankfully, when we reached out, St Mary’s Church were among those who responded. They allow us to bring people out of the freezing cold and into shelter. On Wednesday night, for example, we brought 29 people in off the street there.
“Situations like on Wednesday really are emergencies - it’s about preservation of life in temperatures that could literally lead to death for anyone out on the street.”
The Welcome Organisation’s Kieran Hughes added: “When locations like St Mary’s and others offer their help in this way during SWEP, they are literally life-savers.
“Homeless people already have health challenges, and in extreme cold weather they are even more vulnerable, so we can’t thank those who assist us in this way enough.”
The Welcome Organisation remained on alert on Thursday for the possible triggering of SWEP, as the Met Office issued a further yellow weather warning for ice until 10am on Friday.
St Mary’s parish priest Fr Timothy Bartlett said the church hall has mostly been used for emergency shelter, but in recent days the increase in people due to the extreme cold had led to the church itself being used, with people sleeping on mats among the pews.
“We were approached before Christmas about this and we said we were more than happy to help,” he said.
“In many ways, we do the easy part, in opening the doors and providing heat and hot drinks. But it’s the Welcome Organisation and other groups such as the People’s Kitchen that do the hard job on the streets, and I wish to offer my gratitude and express admiration on behalf of the parish community for the amazing work these teams do.”
