Peterborough: Council helps 126 homeless people off the streets

Barry is among more than 120 people to have been helped off the streets in Peterborough so far this year

A man who was sleeping under a bush says his life is "going the right way" again after a council scheme helped him off a city's streets.

Barry is among 126 rough sleepers which Peterborough City Council says it has helped into accommodation this year.

The authority recently received £345,500 of targeted funding from the government to reduce homelessness.

It plans to use the money to improve current help rough sleepers, and extend some services until April 2025.

The council, which has no overall political control, says it will also use the money to make provisions for a specific adult social care worker to support rough sleepers and address their care and support needs.

Barry, who found himself on the streets after a struggle with addiction and the death of his daughter's mother, says the council's outreach team are "an absolute godsend".

He says: "I started to attend a lot of meetings to get me on the right track, and I always attended all the meetings to make sure I was on target.

"I have had to help myself get through it - it's been a massive turnaround, I don't do alcohol any more and my family are very happy - it's all going the right way."

Conservative Steve Allen, the council's deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and communities, says: "Nobody wants to see people sleeping on our streets, but Barry's story shows that we can help those who do find themselves in that position; Barry has shown the motivation to change his life and deserves great credit.

"We should also congratulate our rough sleeper team, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help people in need on our streets, often in very difficult circumstances."

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