Emergency response launched to help rough sleepers during freezing weather in Bristol

Additional measures have been activated to help rough sleepers in Bristol cope during the current freezing weather conditions.

St Mungo’s, working with Bristol City Council, has launched the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) for rough sleepers until 2nd January.

The SWEP scheme includes increased outreach shifts and extra accommodation arranged to ensure no one needs to sleep on the streets at night during the extreme weather.

Rough sleeping in freezing conditions significantly increases the risks of hypothermia, which can become life-threatening without a warm and safe place to stay or proper support in the cold weather.

In the case of emergencies, the advice is to call 999 for immediate help.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.