Scheme to help the homeless in Shrewsbury tops £800
More than £800 has been raised in a scheme designed to encourage people to stop giving money directly to beggars on the streets of Shrewsbury.
The alternative giving scheme, which was launched by Team Shrewsbury at the beginning of the year, has been hailed as a success. Organisers said the money raised had helped secure accommodation for three rough sleepers.
The partnership arranged for metal collection boxes to be fixed at four sites across the town and people were urged to put money in these rather than giving straight to beggars.
A new collection box has since been installed at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to add to those already situated at Frankwell footbridge, The Square, Shrewsbury railway station and at the top of Pride Hill.
Since the scheme was launched, £826.74 has been collected – an average of £28.51 per week.
Rob Caffery, Shropshire Council's temporary accommodation officer, said: "We're very pleased with the response to the alternative giving scheme since it was launched in February of this year and would like to thank all who have donated money in one of the four blue collection boxes in the town centre and the new fifth box at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
"The money raised has enabled us to secure accommodation for three rough sleepers by providing upfront costs, and providing another rough sleeper with a mattress once he had been assisted in securing accommodation.
"We've been able to ensure the money has gone to those who need help to support them to move away from street homelessness.
"Reports from other agencies would confirm that people are still giving direct to beggars, but we encourage people to use the alternative giving scheme to ensure that the money goes directly to those who are rough sleeping."
The money collected in the boxes is given directly to organisations in the town which provide support for the genuinely vulnerable and homeless in Shrewsbury.
