ON a cold December night, First Housing Enniskillen hosted a sleep-out in the Diamond to raise awareness of homelessness in Fermanagh.
Armed with sleeping bags, nine team members braved the winter chill as part of The Big Sleep Out, an initiative to shed light on the struggles faced by those without stable housing.
Recent figures revealed a staggering 8,250 households presented as homeless between April and September 2024. A disproportionate number of these are children and families.
According to the Department for Communities, 5,393 (65.4 per-cent) of these households were deemed statutorily homeless. Alarmingly, there has been a 121 per-cent increase in the number of children living in temporary accommodation since January 2019. By November 2024, 4,908 households, including 5,378 children, were residing in temporary accommodation.
Maria Thompson, project manager at First Housing, highlighted the importance of the event: “It’s primarily an awareness-raising exercise. Rough sleeping is the visible face of homelessness, but many people are sofa surfing or living in overcrowded conditions with family members. We need to draw attention to this hidden crisis.”
The experience also gave participants a glimpse into the challenges rough sleepers face.
“At around 3.30am, a fight broke out between two men. It ended quickly, but it made our team anxious about its escalation and whether the men would turn their attention to us,” Maria explained.
“There were six of us to provide support and reassurance, but for a lone sleeper, fear for personal safety would have been immense.”
This year, the group also encountered another challenge: ill health.
“One team member, who has Type 1 diabetes, experienced hypoglycaemia three times the following day. They were able to manage it at home with medication, but for those who are homeless, managing medical conditions isn’t so easy,” she added.
The event received significant donations from passersby, which will support service users in securing and sustaining tenancies. Maria extended her gratitude to all who contributed:
“We’re especially thankful to local businesses, including Pat’s Bar and Kamal Mahal, for providing food and hot drinks, which made the experience a bit easier.”
If you or someone you know is at risk of homelessness, contact the Housing Executive at 03448 920 908 or First Housing during office hours.
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