Exeter homelessness charity St Petrock’s has launched its Christmas 2024 fundraising appeal with a short film inspired by a poem written by a former client.
The film, produced by Devon film-makers All Told, depicts the fictional journey of someone with no option but to sleep rough in the city’s streets as the poem Starry Night is read in voice-over.
The rough sleeper, who eventually finds a warm welcome at St Petrock’s, is played by another former client who slept in Exeter’s streets for six months before being helped into supported accommodation last year.
St Petrock’s director Peter Stephenson said: “As the film progresses, he experiences hostility from passers-by, and even violence, which is tough to watch, but sadly not unusual.
“When he arrives at St Petrock’s he is welcomed with kindness by people who care, given a meal, a hot drink and some sturdy new boots.”
“The narrative embodies the experience of so many of our clients. A difficult and traumatic past, loss and pain, leading to homelessness with all the risks and hardship associated with sleeping rough.”
The number of rough sleepers in Exeter remains critically high after doubling between 2022 and 2023. Between 25 and 35 people are sleeping rough in the city’s streets every night.
They are not a static group. People find themselves newly-homeless every week, while many others are homeless but not living in the streets.
Between April and September this year, St Petrock’s engaged with almost 4,500 homeless or vulnerably-housed people.
St Petrock’s began providing homelessness support in December 1994. Its team, supported by around 30 volunteers, helps people to access housing, healthcare, benefits and other essential services.
From its centre in Cathedral Yard it provides hot showers, laundry facilities, phone and internet access and supplies survival equipment and clothing.
It prepares and serves breakfast and lunch to rough sleepers across the city each weekday. It will provide a full Christmas lunch to all its clients on 25 December, with gifts.
The charity also provides accommodation for people without a home and is actively pursuing the purchase of more properties for this purpose.
Nearly three-quarters of the funding for its services, which cost £700,000 to provide each year, comes from the local community.
St Petrock’s Christmas appeal aims to raise funds to support its work at what it is a difficult time of year for rough sleepers.
The festivities many take for granted can make the experience of extreme poverty suffered by those without a home more severe.
They often also bring back difficult memories of past Christmases, of loss or trauma fuelled by festive excess, at a time when social isolation and loneliness can feel acute.
Peter Stephenson said: “Like many charities, times are tough for St Petrock’s. Unfortunately, grant income and public donations have both faltered in recent months, as people and institutions continue to tighten their belts.
“Our Christmas campaign has become an absolutely essential plank of our fundraising, whilst also hammering the message home that rough sleeping is a million miles away from a lifestyle choice.”
You can donate to the St Petrock’s Christmas via its website, where you can also find out more about regularly supporting its work as well as volunteering to help.
Petrock’s Place, its vintage clothing shop in Paris Street, accepts donations of essentials such as rucksacks, sleeping bags and clothing as well as small gifts such as chocolate, flasks and hairbrushes, among other things on its wish list.
The shop is open from 11am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday and can be contacted to arrange a drop-off via shop@stpetrocks.org.uk or by telephone on 01392 576654.
