A TEAM of volunteers who provide York's homeless with healthcare and veterinary care for their dogs, say in an ideal world, their organisation would not exist.

Kitchen for Everyone York (KEY), operate in the Spurriergate Centre twice a week, providing hot food, warm clothing and bedding, and also run an outreach service to help rough sleepers get a room or flat in the city.

The group has also organised regular visits from Dentaid and podiatrist to help homeless people who are suffering with problems with their teeth and feet and who would be otherwise unable to receive treatment for them, and Street Paws, who tend to the rough sleepers' dogs.

Helen Rawling coordinates KEY, and said they were also looking at helping rough sleepers quit smoking or drugs, helping them into programmes which they otherwise might not engage in.

York Press:

Helen Rawling, KEY coordinator

Helen said: "Local authorities do offer that but a lot of rough sleepers won't access that service in that setting. They might engage with us because it's not in that environment, they are more relaxed with us, so we can look after their wellbeing and healthcare.

"Quite a lot of them are anti-establishment and they don't see us as the establishment, so they are more willing to come to us and use services we can offer. All we want to do is give them the opportunity to access services they might not otherwise be able to access. It's a double-edged sword and we can see that, but if they are never going to engage with services there [THROUGH THE COUNCIL], lets do it another way and give them that option."

York Press:

Donated items to be handed out to rough sleepers at KEY sessions in York

Helen is meeting with local doctors to arrange for GPs to visit KEY events, and fundraising for food and support is ongoing - with Dentaid sessions alone costing £400 per visit, £1,600 a year.

She said City of York Council and partner agencies including the Salvation Army did their part to help the homeless in the city, and said "it's being taken seriously as an issue", with the council this week revealing James House, new accommodation for rough sleepers. However, she believed encouraging some members of the homeless community to engage with the authority could still be a problem.

Helen said: "We're more aware of them [THE COUNCIL] doing something now and actions have been taken to improve that situation. There are facilities there if people will engage.

"You can never engage with every rough sleeper, but there's a lot in place if they are wiling to engage and abide by the rules, and for some with behavioural issues, drink or drug problems, that's the stumbling block."

As reported in The Press in January, more than a quarter of all homeless deaths recorded in Yorkshire and Humberside in 2017 took place in York, and the number of homeless people attending A&E increased in 2018 by a quarter.

Helen said: "We find a lot of people won't go to hospital because of the way some members of hospital staff - not all, but some - have preconceived ideas of homeless people. People have these preconceived ideas, but does that mean they are any less deserving of treatment than someone who has a house and needs treatment for alcoholism?

"We would love nothing more than for KEY not to exist, for there not to be the need for us twice a week and outreach on Saturdays. That's the ultimate goal, but unfortunately we have seen a massive rise in homelessness in the last three years since the start of the organisation. What we do we do very well, and we're now looking to grow on what we're already offering."

*KEY are at Spurriergate Centre on Tuesdays between 6.30pm and 8pm, Sundays between 8am and 10am, and run outreach sessions around the city handing out goods on Saturday nights. If you want to volunteer or donate, go to kitchenforeveryoneyork.org