Becky Joyce said weather in Lincoln is only part of the wider heat risk, as homeless charities in West Yorkshire reported more dehydration and heat exhaustion when temperatures climbed above 30C. The people most exposed are those living on the streets in Bradford and Leeds, where charities said the heat has driven more calls for help and more urgent need for water and shade.
Joyce, the director and co-founder of Homeless Street Angels, said clients had come in covered in blisters, sores and sunburn. She added: “People don't realise this is severe weather to the guys on the streets, they think of the winter, the snow, the freezing temperatures,” and: “When it's like this they've still got nowhere to hide from it.”
Bradford and Leeds charities
The Salvation Army in Bradford and Homeless Street Angels in Leeds both reported an increase in calls during the hot weather. Volunteers have been handing out bottled water, sun cream and summer clothes as the temperature climbed, while Homeless Street Angels continued its regular service for more than 150 people at Dortmund Square outside St John's Centre in Leeds every Thursday.
Emily Tamminen, programme manager at The Salvation Army in Bradford, said people living on the streets lacked easy access to water. She said: “The lack of shelter and shade, especially in Bradford city centre, there's not really a lot of that about,” and added: “We've seen a lot of the guys come in with sunburn as well, quite bad sunburn.”
Emily Tamminen in Bradford
Tamminen said people with medical needs were especially at risk because it was so hot outside. She encouraged people to carry an extra bottle of water so they could help homeless people who may not have easy access, and said: “People may not have easy access.”
At The Orchard, more people were coming through the door during the latest heatwave. In Hope Housing, support worker Mark Donnelly said the charity had been running around trying to make sure people had fans, and he described dehydration as a major problem during heatwaves for homeless people.
Hope Housing response
Donnelly said: “Another danger is dehydration, keeping hydrated,” as the charities tried to meet the immediate need created by the heat. The practical question now is how long temperatures above 30C will last, because the pressure on people without shelter or easy access to water rises each day the heat continues.
