A Lincoln reverend says homeless people in the city should not be seen as a symbol of fear.
That’s the view of Reverend Jeremy Cullimore, from St Mary-le-Wigford church near the city’s train station, in his column in The Lincolnshire Echo.
Local homeless charity Framework is one of several offering support for those in need, and agree with Mr Cullimore in wanting to change people’s attitudes towards the homeless.
As well as providing accommodation for those on the streets, Framework also offers the opportunity for former rough sleepers to improve their employability and life skills, and teaches them to live independently. They say they helped around 800 people off the streets in 2015.
The charity, which was set up in 2012, claim that Lincolnshire is making large strides forward in tackling homelessness, with the number of rough sleepers in the city on the decline according to homeless.org.uk.
Neil Skinner, the Framework’s Communications Officer, said that they are keen to change people’s perceptions of homelessness. He said: “The one thing we want to change in society is the use of the word ‘homeless’. ‘Rough sleeper’ is a more accurate depiction.”