A St Petrock’s project that provides mobile support to rough sleepers in and around Exeter has been shortlisted for the National Lottery project of the year award.
The Exeter homelessness charity is among seventeen finalists that have reached the public vote stage of the award after being shortlisted from nearly 4,000 applicants.
Its mobile rough sleeper service provides survival support to homeless people twice every weekday in the form of meals, hot drinks, showers, laundry and clothing while also carrying out welfare checks, providing mental health support and enabling access to healthcare services.
The team that delivers the service walks up to five miles to offer support to rough sleepers where they need it most.
St Petrock’s director Peter Stephenson said: “By going to people where they are, the mobile team builds up trust and locates people who might otherwise fall through the cracks.
“We are excited that our service has been nominated for a National Lottery Award. Our team works so hard helping those members of our community who have nowhere else to turn so we very much hope that local people will vote for St Petrock’s so we can continue to change people’s lives for the better.
“Being shortlisted is a wonderful recognition for the support our outreach team provides. However, to win the title of National Lottery Project of the Year would be a wonderful accolade and would undoubtedly help us with fundraising, so we can continue to provide important services at a time when very sadly, the number of people in desperate circumstances continues to rise.”
The public vote is open until noon on 9 October. Votes can also be cast by using the hashtag #NLAStPetrocks on Twitter.
