Fundraiser takes off after rough sleeper's belongings torched in Bognor Regis

Residents and donors have already raised more than £360 for the homeless person, in the hopes of buying them a new tent, or – if the fundraiser goes far enough – enough for somewhere more permanent to live.

Bognor Regis resident Dylan Matten, who organised the fundraiser, said he had seen the rough sleeper set up outside the former Halifax site on East Street, in Bognor Regis, several times before last night’s fire, which reduced their belongings to ashes.

"I was walking home with my friends and we saw all the fire engines and the police; all their stuff had been set on fire; It took me five minutes to set up the web page – for me, it’s just what any good person would do.”

Mr Matten said he was ‘overwhelmed’ by the surging support for the fundraiser, which only started yesterday (August 18), but not necessarily surprised: “There’s always been a beautiful community here in Bognor, and it’s nice to bring them together behind such a good cause. This person has had such a rough life, and now this.”

Homelessness is an increasingly prominent issue nationwide. A homelessness snapshot recorded in Autumn last year revealed that the number of people sleeping rough on any given night has increased by 27 per cent on last year, and 120 per cent since 2010. In a draft homelessness and rough sleeping strategy published earlier this year, Arun District Council made clear that homelessness aligns with the national and regional picture, but that officers are "finding it harder to prevent families, in particular, from becoming homeless. Rough sleeping is rising slowly but is a concern for the health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable citizens.”

Later, the draft statement explains that, while Arun District as a whole is not a particularly deprived area, localities like Bognor Regis and Littlehampton are in the top 10% of LSOAs (Lower Statistical Output Areas) in the country.

For rough sleepers currently making do on the streets, there are a range of options available, including access to homelessness hubs in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, as well as a range of rough sleeper initiatives, including outreach and emergency accommodation.

To find out more about and donate to the fundraiser, visit gofundme.com.