Charity provides emergency support for rough sleepers in Bristol as temperatures hit zero

Volunteers at St Mungo's say they are expecting to ramp up the help they provide as the colder weather comes over the next few days

Rough sleepers in Bristol will be offered additional support and help to find a bed, as temperatures are set to reach freezing.

Volunteers at St Mungo's, one of the main homeless charities in the city, say they are expecting to ramp up the help they provide as the colder weather comes over the next few days.

A Severe Weather Emergency Protocol has been activated by the council, meaning the authority will work with charities to provide a bed for everyone who is sleeping on the streets.

Some of the volunteers at St Mungo's, including Roz Cormack, know what it's like first-hand to sleep rough at Christmas: "You feel so alone. Really really alone, like you're shut off from the world", he told ITV News.

"Nobody cares about you, nobody's interested, because they're all in their homes, doing what they want to do, happy times and everything.

"And you're just there on your own, freezing cold. Nothing to eat, nothing to drink. You just feel at your lowest."

Volunteers at St Mungo's say they are expecting to ramp up their support as the colder weather comes over the next few days.

The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol means more beds will be found to help rough sleepers keep away from the cold.

Daisy Oakes, from the outreach team at St Mungo's said: "It needs to be 0 degrees for three days in a row and that activates a protocol where everyone is offered a bed for that three-day period.

"That might be through hotel accommodation, it might be church halls, or shared spaces. But for that period of really cold weather or really severe weather, people will be put into housing."

St Mungo's aims to work with the rough sleepers it finds, and eventually get them permanent accommodation.

Volunteer Jordan Hodgkins also used to be homeless. He hopes people on the streets will accept whatever help is offered.

"If you've lived through something you're normally best placed to help someone who's going through similar circumstances", he said.

"You see a progress, and you see people growing through a journey. And to see people come out of the journey like I did, is quite gratifying."

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What to do if you see a rough sleeper during extreme weather

Members of the public are urged to encourage anyone they see rough sleeping in Bristol to call 0117 4070330 to confirm their space for the night.

St Mungo's says no one will be turned away.

People are however encouraged to dial 999 if emergency help is required.