BRADFORD BID is helping to support a new multi-agency team set up to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness in the district.

The Business Improvement District has supplied embroidered hoodies and body-warmers to help identify the new group of outreach workers as they help people off the streets and into accommodation.

The Government has committed to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and end it by 2027. To support this aim Bradford Council successfully bid for money to establish the Bradford Homeless Outreach Partnership (HOP).

The partnership has brought together a team of key workers from different disciplines and organisations who will work with other agencies to tackle the complex issues of rough sleeping. The new team includes a specialist mental health nurse, a housing options officer and a substance misuse worker.

Clare Flannigan, the service co-ordinator said: “The new team brings together important specialisms in different fields to provide a ‘wraparound’ service for people who are sleeping on the streets to fast-track them into appropriate services.

“We take a multi-agency approach to this problem and work very closely with many of the services working with rough sleepers in Bradford. The team has already had a number of successful interventions by assisting some of the most entrenched rough sleepers off the streets and into accommodation.”

The new clothing paid for by the BID will provide a visual presence on the streets, allowing our clients, local businesses and the public to identify us.

BID chairman Ian Ward said: “Businesses told us early on during the feasibility study for the BID that one of the issues they were concerned about was the number of people apparently rough sleeping and begging. We know that the work the team do is invaluable in assisting those who need help.”

BID manager Jonny Noble added: “This is something practical the BID can do to help build the collective identity of the HOP team and also help to keep people warm during the cold months while they are doing this vital work. It’s a very important service and that’s why we’re so keen to support it.”