Man helps rough sleepers after losing friend

Philip Yonge said he created survival bags for rough sleepers after discovering his friend died on the streets

Survival kits for rough sleepers are being given out in a Devon town thanks to a man whose friend died while living on the streets.

Philip Yonge, from Totnes, said he created the kits, which include waterproof clothing, after his friend Michael Gething died of hypothermia at the age of 42 in 2012.

"If my friend Michael had one of those survival bags, which costs about £7, I believe he would have survived that night," he said.

The survival kits, which are being handed out in Totnes, come in a dry sack which includes a sleeping bag with a waterproof cover, a waterproof jacket and trousers.

Mr Yonge said Michael was his neighbour about 20 years ago

He said: "Michael was my neighbour in north Devon about 20 years ago.

"I found out last year that he came to Totnes, was homeless here and one winter night it was raining heavily and his sleeping bag and the clothes he was wearing got soaking wet.

"The temperature went down to -2C (28F) that night and it killed him."

Mr Yonge said he had visited Totnes to speak to people living on the streets before he moved to the town.

He said he wanted to create awareness about people who were sleeping rough in rural areas.

"Although it may not be visible in all areas, it is there," he said.

"There are people living in the woods in surrounding areas at the moment."

A social media page has been set up by Mr Yonge to help and support the homeless within the local community.

"I just hope other people, like my good friend, don't die on streets this winter," Mr Yonge said.

Stuart Francis-Dubois, from homeless charity Shelter, said there was more support in the cities compared with rural areas.

He said: "There's about 500 people sleeping rough in the South West.

"The majority of those are in the bigger places like Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth but there are people sleeping rough in the rural areas too."

Kit Stevens said she had noticed people living in their cars and in tents in the town

He said people that were homeless in the rural areas were "much harder to find" and they would often gravitate towards larger areas where more help was available.

"Shelter works in Plymouth and Bristol but we don't get the chance to go out to places like Totnes very often," said Mr Francis-Dubois.

"There are some services like Citizens Advice which are excellent but it's very limited."

He added the solution to homelessness was more affordable social housing.

Kit Stevens, manager and one of the directors of Stepping Stones in Totnes, said they run a food bank by referral and a food club where people can have up to 10 items for £3.50.

She has noticed that people are living in their cars and in tents around the town.

"We have a fairly large population of homeless people in Totnes," said Ms Stevens.

"During the summer months we have people just coming through and we are one of their stops along the way."

She also said there was a community cafe where people could pay what they can and it did not matter if they could not pay at all.