Email sent to elected officials 11 October 2025 from Graham Harris (Homeless Outreach Lead).

Having an awareness of what is happening within our community and the wider world is integral if we are to feel connected, be informed and in so doing implement and effect positive changes that directly impact people’s lives.

However, navigating any news stream can feel on occasions as if it should come with a risk warning. The prevailing negativity of headlines can cause us to dip in and out quickly to protect our mental health and well-being. One such article this week referenced the highest number of recorded homeless deaths in the UK:

UK deaths of 1,611 homeless people in 2024 is record high – BBC News

It is easy to give such news a cursory glance, briefly empathise, believe that these incidents sad as they are happen in metropolitan areas such as London, Manchester and Birmingham and then move on. Not so.

On Monday as many in our town shared in the fun and joy of the mop fair, unbeknownst to some of them on their way home they would have passed by a set of toilets near the Forum Car Park. Inside three local homeless men were seeking refuge, bedding down for the night. For one of them, this would be their last night, he was found deceased in the morning.

For myself and many of our volunteers at Cirencester Signpost we are still coming to terms with this tragedy. We understand more than most the complexities of homelessness and that there are no magic wands to be waved but incidents such as this should not be happening in our town.

If there is anything good to come out of what is an appalling situation, it is we as influencers of change, challenging ourselves (myself included) to ensure that we never lose sight in headlines, figures and statistics that these are real hurting people who deserve better than to lose their life this way