Homelessness Is Growing—Together, We Can End It
Homelessness in the UK has reached a critical breaking point.
Rough sleeping surged by 27% in 2023 alone, a staggering 60% rise since 2021. This is not just a number—it’s people, each with their own story, forced to face the harsh reality of life on the streets.
More than 150,000 children are currently stuck in unsafe and inadequate temporary accommodation. These young lives are caught in the cycle of instability, facing the daily toll of uncertainty and trauma. It’s an urgent reminder that our system is failing the most vulnerable, and we cannot stand by as the safety nets unravel. [Source: Shelter, 2023]
This is a crisis that demands more than just awareness—it calls for action.
King’s Arms Project is rising to meet this challenge by opening our doors with a renewed focus on wrap-around support for the homeless in Bedford. This year the Winter Night Shelter isn’t just a home for tonight, it’s hope for tomorrow.
Creating Change for Bedford’s Homeless
The Bedford Winter Night Shelter proudly opened its doors on December 1st, 2023, becoming a vital refuge during the harsh winter months. During this time, the shelter served 2,500 warm meals and offered 1,250 safe bed spaces to those who would otherwise face the cold without a place to call home.
As we prepare to reopen at Harpur Street on 2nd December 2024, we are committed to providing shelter, support, and hope to our guests for 100 days with particular focus on long term wrap-around support.
This vital initiative is made possible through our close partnership with Bedford Borough Council, together transforming lives and ensuring that no one in our community has to endure the winter nights alone.
In Partnership With
Home For Tonight, Hope For Tomorrow
With the learnings and experience of last year, we saw how providing a bed and a warm meal was not just a basic necessity, but a crucial step to transforming lives.
During the day, we will be introducing our guests to a longer-term plan as well as aiming to provide a range of vital services to uplift the wellbeing of our guests, including nursing care, podiatry, hairdressing, eye care, and access to citizen’s advice. This will be made possible through a powerful collaboration with local agencies, uniting the community to make a real difference.
Wrap-Around Support: A Pathway to Transformation
Our goal is to make a bed for the night the first step in a journey toward lasting change. Here’s how we’re doing it:
- Immediate Shelter: Providing not just a place to sleep, but a safe haven where our guests find warmth, a nutritious meal, and genuine human connection.
- Outreach: Reaching out to those at risk before they fall into crisis, and partnering with local councils to secure suitable long-term housing.
- Pathways Support: Building brighter futures through personalised support, skills workshops, employment coaching, and confidence-building—guiding people toward independence, self-worth and confidence.
We believe in offering a complete circle of care, providing continuous support throughout the day even after our shelter doors close.
Together, WE Can Do This
But we can’t do it alone – we need YOU. Your support can turn this vision into reality.
Help us create a place that’s more than a shelter; help us build a community that gives hope for tomorrow.
