By Tony O’Riley-
An intelligent campaigner for Worcester’s homeless people believes the coronavirus pandemic will bring an ‘end’ to rough sleeping with a roof over every head and is pushing for the British government to make this a practical goal.
Hugo Sugg, originally from Worcester, but now a teacher in Istanbul says he is impressed by how the Turkish authorities have helped rough sleepers in the city during the outbreak which has already claimed thousands of lives worldwide.
The 29-year-old Worcester University graduate is an active campaigner for the homeless and also uses social media and other platforms to to get his message about homelessness across. Sugg, the founder of Hugo’s Earthquake Campaign, is committed to changing perceptions about homelessness, ensuring the homeless get the best deal to cater for their most basic needs.
As a result of a Freedom of Information request he made to Worcester Council in 2018, the findings of an independent review into the death of a rough sleeper, Mr Banfield’s and two other rough sleepers ( Remigiusz Boczarski and Paul ‘Joby’ Sparrey) the Safeguarding Baord launched an investigation. Its findings revealed several “missed opportunities” on the part of the authorities that may have kept Banfield on the streets unnecessarily.
Speaking to The Eye Of Media.Com , Mr Sugg said he believes the pandemic which has caused so much destabilisation in the world could become a blessing for the homeless if the British government maintains the level of accommodation it has provided to ensure a roof of everybody’s head.
”Nobody in a developed nation like the Uk should remain homeless for long”, he said. There should always be an response to address homelessness especially as it can lead to a mental and emotional breakdown of the individual. People must realise that anyone can become homeless. You are only two pay packets from becoming homeless. In that scenario it can be down hill without the right support.
Look at Turkey for example. The Turkish government was impatient with the EU prior to Covid-19 over the perceived break of agreement to house the refugees from the EU and money they would pay for that. All of that conflict diluted when Covid-19 went international, and the Turkish Government very quickly launched a scheme to provide shelter for rough sleepers in all 81 provinces of the country.
“This took shape in the form of public guesthouses or private hostels and hotels and meet their basic needs such as food, cleaning, clothing until the threat of the epidemic goes.
“There are little signs of homelessness in Istanbul, but there are some beggars still there. Neither in Turkey or England do they have an idea of when this pandemic will pass or what will happen to the homeless.
“In both countries, this crisis must spell the end of unnecessary homelessness and rough sleeping. During the pandemic, we have seen that humanity can be shown to the most vulnerable and we will be failing in our duty of care to vulnerable people if we go back to letting many people go back on the streets.
“A crisis shouldn’t solve homelessness but instead intervention should solve homelessness. We must put a plan in place to secure the safety of people who are homeless everywhere”.