Maidstone Residents asked to Report Rough Sleepers

People in Maidstone are being asked to report rough sleepers and any other illegal street activity they see, to a charity.

Porchlight is a homeless charity for Kent.

They've launched a new service in the county town along with Maidstone Borough Council to help cut down on street-based activities that are causing a problem in the town, like rough sleeping, drinking and drug taking.

Two outreach workers are now based permanently in the area to go out on the streets to engage directly with people.

The aim of the service is to assist people who have become entrenched in a street lifestyle to access support for things like housing, health care, financial advice and drug and alcohol support services.

Members of the public are being asked to report rough sleepers or problems.

This can be done by calling the 24 hour a day freephone number: 0800 567 7699 or by logging on to their website www.porchlight.org.uk

Brenchley Gardens is a problem area in the town.

Porchlight are also handing out special wallet sized cards with information on them.  They carry the freephone number and give people information about drop in centres in the area.  The outreach workers told us they often put them in unlikely places like pinned to trees, in order to attract the attention of those who need help.

Outreach workers Sue Cork & Lee Weech and client Neil Barnard

The toilets in Brenchley Gardens are often used for drug taking