Help Light the Way Out of Homelessness: St Petrocs Launches Winter Appeal

St Petrocs, an independent Cornish charity dedicated to ending homelessness, has launched its Winter Appeal to provide essential support for individuals facing the harsh realities of winter without a safe place to call home. With temperatures dropping and demand for help surging, the charity is urging the community to donate and help fund its critical Winter Services.

Winter Services Offer Lifesaving Support

The dangers of winter weather are especially severe for people experiencing homelessness. In October 2024, St Petrocs assisted 206 individuals across Cornwall through its resource centres and outreach teams. Of these, 112 were forced to sleep outdoors, while others relied on sofa surfing and hidden forms of homelessness.

Despite these challenges, St Petrocs helped 51 people secure stable accommodation in October alone, giving them safety and a fresh start. However, with all 165 supported accommodation rooms fully occupied, the demand for services remains overwhelming.

Henry Meacock, Chief Executive of St Petrocs, emphasised the importance of the charity’s work during the winter months:
“St Petrocs Winter Services offer a lifeline to people who find themselves outside in the cold in the darkest months of the year. We have a really good track record of people coming to us in crisis situations accessing our Winter Services who we then support into longer term accommodation. The St Petrocs Winter Appeal is so important for us to be able to put on our winter services and help people move away from the streets for good.”

Comprehensive Services to End Homelessness

St Petrocs is committed to ensuring that every person has the right to a safe and secure home. Operating independently, the charity provides a wide range of support services to tackle homelessness across Cornwall. These include:

• Community resource centres in Truro and Penzance offering advice, support, and medical care.
• An outreach team working across the county to reach those in need.
• Supported accommodation housing over 165 people.
• A skills, training, and employment programme to help individuals regain independence.
• Freshfield, an in-house counselling service and telephone helpline offering emotional support.

By focusing on prevention, reducing the duration of homelessness, and providing long-term solutions, St Petrocs aims to help people move beyond homelessness for good.

A Client’s Perspective

For Oliver, a client who accessed St Petrocs’ Winter Services last year, the impact was life-changing.
“Being on the street was cold, lonely and sometimes scary. Being in the warm, being able to shower and be safe, made a big difference,” he shared.

How You Can Help

St Petrocs is calling on the community to help light the way out of homelessness by supporting its Winter Appeal. Donations provide more than just shelter—they offer individuals the opportunity to rebuild their lives with safety, resources, and hope.

To learn more or to contribute to St Petrocs’ mission, visit their website.

Together, we can ensure no one in Cornwall is left in the cold this winter.