Helping Laraine no more sleeping rough

We are a group of friends who volunteer for a none profit organization; Under One Sky (UOS), providing support for London’s homeless and rough sleepers. Over the last months we have developed a close relationship with a remarkable lady. As friends we have decided to come together to help Lorraine off the street. We are asking for your help and kind donations to support people living in extreme conditions on London’s streets, but we would like to share the story of one remarkable lady called Lorraine who desperately needs your help.

Lorraine is 64 years old. She has been living on the streets since retiring 4 years ago.  Huddled each night on doorstep of a Church she sleeps alone on a bit of cardboard. Sadly, she has no family, her parents are long gone. Despite the terrible hardships she endures, she manages a smile and a kind word for all of our team each time we visit her. She is a keen artist and often draws us thank you pictures or makes us little crochet gifts. We often laugh together and love hearing her recount her many amazing adventures throughout her lifetime and career. 

 Lorraine was a professional swimmer and even represented GB in the nationals in Stevenage and in the masters championships
during the 80s representing Canada nationals and masters  in Japan. She worked as a teacher and social worker, travelled the world, and had a good life. Near the end of her career she lived in France teaching English and spent several happy years there, before returning to London.  Sadly, on her return she found she had lost her flat and belongings. She struggled to get any support from the Job Centre, who made her come to the office every single day for over a month to prove she was living in London before they gave her a single penny. Eventually it took its toll and without a permanent address she found herself on the streets. With having no previous mental health problems, no children under 16, she was unable to meet the strict criteria for social housing and did not qualify for help.  Once out of the system it’s very hard to get back in.  Despite being born in the UK and having worked her whole life helping people and paying into 2 pensions, the streets of London are all she can call home and they have been a dangerous and difficult place for her to survive.

 

After years on the streets, Lorraine suffers from Arthritis. It is worsened by the cold and wet winter weather, and this adds to her daily problems. More recently she’s been unable to draw or crochet much. Despite this, she hardly ever complains. She doesn’t drink or abuse any substances; she doesn’t even swear, and her faith has kept her strong, but a woman of her age should absolutely not be on the streets. Sadly, her homeland has let her down and the system is failing Lorraine, and many like her. We even tried to arrange a 60+/Freedom pass for her so she could get about easier and find shelter when it gets too cold but without a utility bill in her name it is not possible! We even tweeted TFL for help but no one responded.

 


Once the second lockdown was announced in October, we strived to get teams out again on a weekly basis and now are currently out 3 times a week. We have 5 teams of volunteers operating in different areas throughout Central London, distributing food, hot drinks, warm clothing and sleeping bags to our homeless friends. The initial aim was just to provide food and drink, but with the cold winter approaching many volunteers took it upon themselves to gather clothing and bedding donations in their local areas to distribute throughout their teams. Most people we see are the same service users we met and got to know since April. Our volunteer led initiative provides a lifeline for the city’s most vulnerable, and relies on public donations and the kindness, compassion and generosity of the public, as well as friends and family has been overwhelming.

 

Homelessness is an ever-increasing problem, particularly in our inner cities around the UK. Rents in London are at an all-time high, affordable housing is difficult to find and recent changes in the benefits system have impacted upon thousands of people's lives. This has been further compounded by the Covid 19 pandemic, which has resulted in many people losing their jobs, their livelihoods and consequently their homes too. Now more than ever people are finding themselves in desperate situations. We’ve met numerous people that at first glance you’d never think were homeless and it’s sad to hear people are hiding the fact they are bedding down on London’s cold pavements, from their friends and family. They feel embarrassed and lost.

 



 

We are desperately trying to raise enough money to get Lorraine off the streets and into a rented room or bedsit. If we can raise enough money for a month’s deposit and a couple of months’ rent, we’re hopeful she’ll be eligible for Housing Benefit and get that bus pass! We just need to help her a step onto the ladder.

 

Please, please help if you can. Any amount you can afford will help transform Lorraine’s life and hopefully others like her too.

 

Whilst we can’t help every single person, if we can improve a single person’s life, one at a time, we can make such a difference. 

 
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” - Robert Collier