Edinburgh homeless man says he ‘would feel safer in prison’ than …
An Edinburgh charity dedicated to helping those most vulnerable has warned of a surge in street sleeping.[1]
Hannah Robertson Newman works for the Simon Community. She administers life-saving shots of Naloxone to people sleeping on the streets[2] in Edinburgh who most urgently need it. As she walks around the back streets and alleys of the capital, Hannah is terrified by what the winter will bring as all all indicators suggest a devastating surge in homelessness[3].
Chief Reporter from our sister site The Record,[4] Mark McGivern spent a harrowing night with the homeless outreach team as the Simon Community workers issue the life-saving shot. Naloxone reverses the effects of heroin overdose and Hannah says it has saved the lives of multiple people who have slept on the cold streets as their lives spiralled out of control.
For some, it was addiction that led to homelessness but others became addicts after trauma in their lives led to the loss of families and homes. Speaking to the Record[7], Colin Dickson, 36, from Prestonpans, who is known to the team, admitted that at times, he felt ‘safer in prison’ than on the street.
The street team help some of the most vulnerable people in Scotland (Image: Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record))
Hannah said that she has never seen things so bad, with scores of bedding areas in central Edinburgh, in doorways and near bins.
She said: “My first duty at work this week is attending the funeral of one of our service users.
“It’s a grim reality. Some people we build up a relationship with will pass away because of the complex problems in their lives and the lack of a stable home.”
On a recent evening the Simon Community counted 16 makeshift beds on upmarket George Street, many of those in shop doorways using sleeping bags handed out by the charity.
Hannah, the street team service lead at the Edinburgh hub on Holyrood Road, said: “This is a service that tries to help those who have fallen through the cracks. We are out from 6am to 8pm and we have to find people to be able to help them.
The Simon Community are saving lives across Scotland. (Image: (Image: Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record))
“We rely on people to phone to say where people are and we will go on foot or by e-bike to all the spots where we think there may be people we can help. We stick pins on the map in our office and try to keep track of what’s happening. There are a lot more pins now than a few months ago.”
Simon Community workers are so tuned in to the homeless hotspots that they are the frontline for critical medical aid, often ahead of the 999 responders.
Hannah said: “Overdoses are a fact of life for some people who end up sleeping on the street.
“On one occasion at Hunter Square one man was unconscious and some of the guys hanging out there shouted us over, in a state of panic.
“I didn’t have Naloxone on me but I sent the guys back to base to pull more staff out with Naloxone to support me. I ended up working on him for 40 minutes, doing chest compressions.
Edinburgh Street Team are out in the city every night. (Image: Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record)
“When the Naloxone came I gave him one shot and he didn’t come round, then another and he eventually took seven, at which point he opened his eyes and gave a big gasp and took a breath, just as the ambulance turned up.
“I’m pretty sure that was a life saved and I have recorded 21 total Naloxone incidents, some with multiple shots.
“So the job we have is very tough but that’s nothing compared to what it’s like having to sleep on the streets.”
On a recent rough sleeping count, Hannah was shocked to find 80 people on Edinburgh city streets – up from 50 – and 16 on George Street alone.
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One woman the team encountered, set up for the night near Waverley Station, was fleeing an abusive partner and believed it was safer there than a women’s refuge.
Colin Dickson, 36, from Prestonpans, is known to the team. He has long suffered with alcohol and drug addiction and had long spells of street sleeping.
He said: “If you have addiction, you end up committing crimes, getting the jail for shoplifting and all the other mad stuff that’s going on in your life.
“There have been times I’ve felt safer in prison because when you get out and you’re put on the street, it’s hard to deal with all the forms to fill in, all the people telling you they can’t help you.
“I’d say that just about everybody respects the Simon people because they’re prepared to help when there’s nobody else.”
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Team member Annwen Thurlow said they often deal with people whose mental health issues and behaviour can lead to major blockages to help.
She said: “If you’ve got a chaotic life, you can’t be in a queue at 8.30am, three days in a row to try and access a room. That can be the thing that puts a person on the street. These are people who have experienced so much rejection. Just having someone reach out a hand can make a difference.”
References
- ^ street sleeping. (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ sleeping on the streets (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ homelessness (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ The Record, (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
- ^ Scottish family issue warning after their teen son dies at house party (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ Edinburgh rail passenger brands overcrowded ScotRail train ‘unsafe’ (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ Record (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
- ^ breaking news (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ coronavirus (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ here (data.reachplc.com)
- ^ Edinburgh Live’s Whatsapp Community here (chat.whatsapp.com)