Over the past few months, volunteers from our amazing body of supporters have stepped forward to support Bristol’s SWEP initiative.

Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, or SWEP, is a city-wide response to ensure the physical safety of people who are sleeping rough during especially cold or otherwise dangerous weather. When SWEP is in effect, people who are rough sleeping will be allocated a shared overnight space in pop-up accommodation across the city. It's a measure to address the serious harm and risk to life that rough sleeping brings.

For example, when the MET Office predicts temperatures will fall below zero for three consecutive nights, SWEP will be activated. Other factors are also considered; this is particularly important now we’re facing a climate emergency and more frequent weather extremes – yet another pressure that impacts on the safety and wellbeing of rough sleepers.

Our teams of volunteers are on stand-by for when the call is made to activate SWEP and are able to step back into their roles very quickly. They help to get the emergency shelters set up in a range of community spaces and provide a welcoming presence for those who are referred to the SWEP shelters by the outreach teams who work with rough sleepers.

This January (2025) BBC Bristol Radio's Proper Bristol Breakfast programme focussed on SWEP and homelessness services. This interview with one of the Caring in Bristol team took place during a prolonged freezing SWEP period starting on New Year's Day. The piece followed on after hearing the voices of rough sleepers living in tents in central Bristol. As well as the obvious challenges of sleeping rough at any time of the year, they were living through the bitter cold, and the hostility of some members of the public. These are people who are experiencing some of the harshest conditions in the city. The inhumanity to human beings is unwanted and unacceptable.

At the end of the piece, Claire, the radio presenter, asked: “What can we do about this? … What's the answer to stop people being pushed over the edge like we heard?”

These are critical questions that need to be asked throughout our society, and more importantly… answered and acted on. At Caring in Bristol, these are the questions that have informed our multi-faceted response to homelessness in Bristol. Our homelessness prevention work recognises that homelessness isn’t inevitable. Talk about broken systems and overloaded services can be very deactivating, and leave many thinking what’s the point?

Safety, security, dignity

The point is that people deserve to live well. We believe that everyone has a right to the safety, security, and the dignity of a home. Our work aims to protect people against the risks that threaten them. Part of our methodology focuses on the ‘red flags’ that can indicate an increased likelihood of a homelessness crisis from hitting. By then, the trauma and turmoil of losing your home has done its damage; if it can be prevented it’s better for everyone, not just the individual. Homelessness costs all of us, but it need not be inevitable.

“I work with many people who had no idea about their housing rights, or where to get the support they need. The connections I can help people to make, and the confidence this inspires to take action, helps people establish greater security and avoid a homelessness crisis.”

Jess (Early Doors Housing Rights Support Worker)

Our Early Doors and Bristol Goods teams speak to many people in the community each week. They practice a deep form of listening that helps them to identify the risks that can lead to homelessness, and to respond in a way that empowers individuals to take affirmative action before it’s too late. This is part of our response to the question what can be done?  We can all have a role in changing how homelessness is both viewed and tackled. But if we want to change the devastating presence of homelessness in our city, doing nothing is not an option.

Your actions have impact too

If you'd like to help us take more action, you can volunteer or donate. Our free Housing Support Handbook created by Early Doors can help you, or someone unsure of what action to take.