Christmas Tent Appeal

See our JustGiving page to donate

The Torridge Rough Sleeper project is a partnership between Torridge District Council and Encompass southwest. The project supports those who are sleeping rough or at risk of doing so, with practical help such as tents and sleeping bags, as well as ongoing daily support from the outreach team, with efforts made to try and move them into proper accommodation. They are once again launching an urgent appeal for donations to fund the purchase of tents and equipment for rough sleepers across Torridge and North Devon.

Following the success of last year’s Christmas Tent appeal the team are joining forces with Safer Streets in North Devon and are asking people to consider donating what they would have spent on sending Christmas cards to provide much needed resources for homeless people in their community.  

Unfortunately, the converging cost of living and housing crises haven’t improved the picture for rough sleepers across North Devon and Torridge. The Rough Sleeper team in Torridge along with the Safer Streets team in North Devon have given out over 40 tents since last year, as well as countless sleeping bags, coats, clothes, footwear and other essentials.  With the government focused on training and education as a way out of homelessness, they have no budget at all for equipment such as tents and bedding and rely on donations from the community to provide these much-needed items. 

The charity has set up an online JustGiving page where people can donate to buy a tent for a homeless person for as little as £30, or if they wish to spend less, other donations will buy essential items such as sleeping bags, hats, socks or toiletries. 

Generous donors will receive an ‘e-card’ by email thanking them for their donation, which they can send out to their contacts to show why they are not buying Christmas cards this year and how the money has been spent.