Steve Race, MP for Exeter, showed his support for the local homeless community by joining the Julian House team on an outreach walk around the city on Friday, 6th September.
Outreach walks are a service funded by Exeter City Council to directly connect staff and volunteers with rough sleepers, providing them with essential supplies, warm conversations, and information about available support services.
Julian House offers a variety of services across the South West to support vulnerable and at-risk individuals. In Exeter; services include supported housing, outreach for rough sleepers, housing advice for individuals leaving prison and trainer tendencies aimed to support young adults.
During the outreach walk, the team provided support in the form of hot drinks and welfare checks as well and information on the support and services offered by Julian House. During the walk, he engaged with the team to discuss the daily challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, highlighting how the ongoing housing crisis is exacerbating delays in providing the critical support urgently need buy these individuals.
The walk began at the Civic Centre, where the team set out to check on areas frequently occupied by rough sleepers. In addition to their regular rounds, they also followed up on concerns from members of the public who had reached out to Julian House, requesting welfare checks on specific individuals. This outreach effort aimed to ensure the safety and well-being of those most vulnerable, offering support and assistance wherever needed
Outreach walks foster meaningful conversations with those in need and highlighted to Steve Race the ongoing work required to address the root causes of homelessness by building awareness around the daily challenges faced by those without secure housing.
“Walking alongside Julian House team and hearing firsthand the stories of those struggling with homelessness was an eye-opening experience. We must continue to work together to find long-term solutions for these members of our community, and I commend Julian House for its relentless efforts in making a difference.” Steve Race, MP for Exeter
Helen Bedser, CEO of Julian House, commented on the impact of the outreach walk:
“Having Steve Race join us today has brought even more attention to the vital issue of homelessness in Exeter. His involvement shows that we have champions in Parliament who are dedicated to finding sustainable solutions. Today’s outreach walk was about more than just providing immediate support—it was about building relationships, offering hope, and raising awareness of the long-term support needed.”
Julian House hopes to continue building on this momentum, advocating for systemic change and enhanced resources for those at risk of or experiencing homelessness in the Exeter area.
For more information on the services provided by Julian House in Exeter look at our Get Help page: Projects and Services | Julian House | Homeless Charity | South West
Based in Exeter and want to show your support? Why not sign up to support Julian House in one of Exeter City Community Trust’s fun run events happening this year? Exeter City Community Trust reveals fun run calendar 2024/2025 | Julian House
