Homelessness Sunday

Churches all over the country will be holding a day of prayer, worship and action this Sunday to highlight the scandal of homelessness in the UK. Organised by the Churches National Housing Coalition, this Sunday people will be encouraged to look beyond the traditional street-sleeping image of homelessness and discover the world of the hidden homeless and those in danger of becoming homeless. More than 100,000 households are accepted as homeless by local authorities each year, and many thousands more face the prospect of having nowhere to live. Robina Rafferty, director of CHAS, said: "The scandal of homelessness continues, in an age of increasing wealth for many. We urge churches throughout the nation to take a stand, and witness the fact that this is totally unacceptable at the start of the 21st century. Homelessness Sunday gives us all an opportunity to recommit ourselves to stand alongside homeless people and work to bring an end to homelessness and bad housing." Alastair Cameron, co-ordinator of the Scottish Churches Housing Agency, says: "It is an exciting time politically in the world of housing at present, with Scottish, Welsh and English government each highlighting homelessness and housing issues. The churches must make sure that the focus is kept on people who are homeless or facing homelessness. This Sunday is the ideal opportunity to remind ourselves and the politicians that it is people that are at the heart of this debate."