Severe weather protocol put in place for Wealden district

Due to a cold weather alert which is currently in place in the Wealden District, the council has announced on Friday, January 19 that a Severe Weather Escalation Protocol (SWEP) has been activated until and including the morning of Monday, January 22.

This means that all rough sleepers in the Wealden area who have no alternative option during this period of time can access a SWEP bed should they wish. If you are concerned about someone you have seen sleeping rough, then get in touch with StreetLink, which helps to connect homeless people with their local services. You can send Street Link, an alert via its website or by calling 0300 500 0914. Full details on how to use Streetlink can be found on their website.

When you do send an alert, you should include three things:

A specific location for the rough sleeping site. You can do this by using a map to pinpoint the exact location and then providing a written description of the location, details of the time that the rough sleeper has been seen at the location, and any information about the rough sleeper that will help find them (gender, approximate age, what the person looks like, what they are wearing).

If you think the person is under 18 contact the Police direct on 101.

The StreetLink notifications are sent to Wealden District Council’s Rough Sleeper Outreach Worker, who can offer intensive assistance to help rough sleepers to access support and accommodation.