Mobile Night Shelter raising funds through online auction

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

We are running a Jumblebee online auction to raise desperately needed funds for Sussex Homeless Support and the mobile night shelter. We need publicity and a sympathetic ear. ’Lots’ are being donated by local businesses, hotels, Brighton artists, authors and many others who recognise the work that SHS is doing in the local community. The online auction runs until Monday 9th April. In 2 weeks, it has raised nearly £2,500 but it needs further exposure and here’s where we hope you can help.

Link to the auction site: https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/auction/detail/auction_id/2324/

About Sussex Homeless Support (SHS)

Based in Brighton but with links covering the UK, SHS is a homeless charity that works with and supports many others in the city to achieve its ambition of zero food poverty and 100 % support for all people in Brighton.

As well as collecting food and items of clothing and distributing them out daily to people on the streets, SHS provides cooking for the Anti-Freeze Homeless Project (Mondays) and hosts the lively Street Kitchen at the Clock tower on Sundays. The charity also provides supplies to people recently re-housed.

The Mobile Night Shelter

Recently Sussex Homeless Support has acquired an old double decker bus and converted it to a mobile night shelter. There are ten bunks upstairs and seating and bathroom area downstairs.
The bus is up and running and since day one has been full every night.

Trained volunteers operate the bus, ensuring that it is a safe and secure place to sleep for men, women and their pets.
Hot food is provided by volunteers from the local community.
To see a great video about the bus, follow this link:

The bus will also act as an education source, so schools for example, can see and learn more about the homeless crisis.

https://www.facebook.com/thelatest.tv/videos/1851991628145457/

Sunday Street Kitchen

The lively Street Kitchen runs every Sunday at the Brighton Clock tower. It sets up at 1pm and finishes at 3pm and leaves little evidence it was there at all. During that time, volunteers serve hot food and drinks and provide supplies such as clothing, sleeping bags and toiletries to up to eighty people who have been unfortunate enough to have ended up on the streets.

The Street Vets are also present, giving food, toys and providing medical treatment for homeless dogs.
The Street Kitchen is very much what you see on the tin; you can donate an item on Sunday and two minutes later see someone on the streets wearing it. If you want to help out, just stand behind a stall and pitch in.

Military Links

SHS has several ex-service volunteers and links with ex-military bases such as Royal Artillery in Selsey who provide much of the kit donated and given out to the homeless. Together with one of the UKs largest military surplus stores, the bases have provided many boxes of clothes, boots, sleeping bags and liners which have literally saved lives this winter. The charity has 20 regular ex-service homeless people and has assisted one person recently into secure tenancy and access to his children.

Contact to donate and volunteer:
Sussex Homeless Support, Unit 7E 196 Old Shoreham Rd, Hove BN3 7EX
Email: Jim Deans at jimdeans@devlinmediagroup.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sussexhomelesssupport/
Twitter: @SussexNightBus

Tel: Jim Deans 07774 266244

Alternatively donate to the GoFundMe appeal set up by Jim Deans - Homeless and Rough Sleepers: https://www.gofundme.com/homeless-and-rough-sleeper-crisis

Press enquiries:

Julia Nye

07753 660775 julia.a.nye@btinternet.com