SPEAR is delighted to announce that £1 million in funding has been awarded over the next two years to help rough sleepers across five South West London boroughs and find new solutions to prevent homelessness.

The funding has been granted to the London Boroughs of Richmond, Wandsworth, Kingston, Merton and Sutton working in partnership with SPEAR.

SPEAR celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and the need for its services have never been greater, with the number of rough sleepers in London having increased significantly over the past five years.

SPEAR has extensive experience in supporting people through its unique accommodation pathway. Its approach is to work with people from homelessness to independence, helping them find accommodation, develop skills for employment, and addresses all their complex needs such as mental health and addiction issues.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Rough Sleeper grants will enable SPEAR to increase its rough sleeping outreach and accommodation offering in Richmond and to introduce its successful pathway model in Wandsworth, Kingston, Sutton and Merton.

DCLG Trailblazers funding has been awarded to a small number of Councils across the country to develop and deliver innovative solutions to homelessness. The Royal Borough of Kingston, and the London Boroughs of Merton and Sutton will be working in partnership with SPEAR, identifying the triggers that lead to people losing their homes and providing support at an earlier stage.

Stuart Nevill, Chief Executive of SPEAR, said “People’s lives depend on our work and our rough sleeper service. We continue to work towards preventing homelessness in South West London by providing fast and effective solutions for the people affected. These grants will help us to do that.”

Based on information supplied by Bruce Warman.