TEWKESBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL OPENS DOORS TO SUPPORT OPERATION BACKPACK
Local homelessness charity, Emmaus Gloucestershire, is teaming up with Tewkesbury Borough Council to make its Operation Backpack campaign an even bigger success this year. Operation Backpack helps rough sleepers survive in the coldest months of the year by providing rucksacks filled with essentials for winter protection. This year, Tewkesbury Borough Council has offered to be a drop-off point for the community in the hope that the public will find it an easily accessible location.
The public are encouraged to donate rucksacks and other essentials for living in the open, including socks, gloves, hats, scarves, sleeping bags and waterproof sleeping mats.
Last year the scheme was a resounding success - more than 400 rucksacks were donated - but the charity and the council want to support even more people this year.
Councillor Julie Greening, lead member for health and wellbeing said: “Our housing team will continue to work hard to prevent people becoming homeless, and help with long term solutions to homelessness across the county. I am really pleased we are able to open our doors to support Operation Backpack. We want to encourage members of the public, and our own staff, to get behind this fantastic initiative – for those people facing winter on the streets, backpacks filled with clean, warm clothes are absolutely vital for survival.”
Emmaus Gloucestershire's Trustee, Alison Beddoes, said: "We are delighted to partner with Tewkesbury Borough Council. The people of Tewkesbury Borough have been very generous and supportive of our charity and the homeless in the past and this partnership should give us the opportunity to help more people survive this coming winter."
Backpacks and other donations can be dropped off at Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Public Services Centre during office hours.
For more information visit the TBC website at https://www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/latest-news/