A public meeting has been organised to tackle the homelessness crisis in Reading.
There has been growing alarm about people living in tents around the town — spotted at the car park for Broad Street Mall off Portman Road, and even on Broad Street, the busiest shopping street.
A man called Kepha Otundo sadly died earlier this year from exposure to the cold while in a tent near the town centre.
Grace Gomez, from the Way Ministry, has organised the public meeting to unify local efforts. The ministry is advocating for a night shelter after speaking with people sleeping rough in the town.
Mrs Gomez said: “We are pushing for a permanent night shelter in Reading—a safe, consistent place where people can find warmth, dignity, and support, not just in emergencies but all year round. To move this forward, The Way Ministry Reading is holding a public meeting for anyone who wants to be part of the solution. This meeting is open to community members, churches, organisations, funders, and individuals who care about addressing homelessness in a meaningful and lasting way.”
The meeting will take place from 2pm to 3.30pm on Saturday 21 February at Fairview Community Centre, 90b Great Knollys Street.
A night shelter ran in the town from December 2023 to March 2024 but had to close due to unforeseen circumstances.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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