Down but not out

Today I popped in to see some of the amazing staff at CHESS, the homeless charity based in Chelmsford. I help out as a volunteer putting communications together. According to NHS figures;

• The average life expectancy of a rough sleeper is 43 years for a woman, 47 years for a man.
• Homeless people attend A&E 5 times more often than non-homeless
• They are admitted to A&E 3.2x as often, stay 3x longer because they are 3x as sick
• Street homeless people are 40x less likely to register with a GP
• They are 25x more likely to have eye complaints & 6x more likely to have respiratory problems
• They are 9x more likely to commit suicide
• 42% have actually attempted suicide

The staff at CHESS do amazing work, running a night shelter, winter programmes and a number of mid-term housing projects. In addition to the emergency shelter and move-on accommodation, they have also secured more permanent housing for 28 clients in the last year. The social benefit to the community is reckoned to be between £580,000 - £1,967,000, in all likelihood, much nearer the higher value. They do an amazing job with fantastic staff and a dedicated volunteer base.

Quite a privilege to see them today.