Homeless people grateful for any pod in a storm

Homeless people grateful for any pod in a storm

Towns as far apart as Barnstaple and Sheffield are among the first to use a unique resource to help homeless people.

Amazing Grace Spaces, exhibitors at CRE National 2022, are creators of the emergency pod containing a bed, chemical toilet and a USB socket for charging a mobile phone – providing accommodation for the user until a permanent home can be found. The Salvation Army, who run two Lifehouses for homeless people in Sheffield, have also installed two pods as part of a pilot scheme to provide temporary support. And in two months they proved their worth.

Andy Parkinson, manager of the Lifehouses said: ‘The pods are aimed at people who are not quite ready to come off the streets. They may have more complex needs such as mental health issues, offending history or addiction, which means they are not as well suited to a communal environment.

‘The pods provide a warm and safe place to sleep while The Salvation Army and local council tackle some of the reasons why the occupiers have become homeless. In two months we have seen a real difference in the two clients placed in them.’

In Barnstable, four newly-created demountable pods, which can be erected outside or inside a building, have been installed thanks to funding from North Devon Council and Freedom Community Alliance. They will provide safe overnight accommodation for four rough sleepers at any one time.

Councillor Nicola Topham, lead member for housing on the North Devon Council, said: ‘The pods offer a safe haven for some of the most vulnerable members of our community while the Enhanced Outreach team continues to work with each person to get them the help they need, long term.’

Stuart Johnson, from Llanwern, Newport, started Amazing Grace Spaces with his wife Caroline in 2015, after some years working with various charities to help the homeless. He is keen to find churches prepared to donate a car parking space on which to locate a pod.

‘The pods are not the final answer, but while someone is waiting for permanent accommodation, they are safe from bullying or injury or losing the few possessions they may have,’ he said. ‘They also give members of a church the opportunity to minister to them in a loving and caring manner.’

• Amazing Grace Spaces are on stand B4 at CRE National 2022

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