UNIVERSITY of Manchester students are campaigning to turn their old student accommodation into a place where homeless people can stay over the Christmas period. 

Spencer Kay launched a campaign on Change.org to help give the homeless temporary accommodation during the winter.

With the homeless issue drastically increasing in Manchester and us facing the coldest winter since 2010 there’s no surprise students want to use the empty Owen Park, accommodation as shelter for a month.

The online petition as has pulled on the heart strings of 700 people and still counting, whilst only having a target of 100 signatures. Mr Kay will now pass the Manchester’s Residential Services Director to shed light on the ongoing issue.

As this winter has been dubbed the coldest since 2010, the petition is hoped to help the homeless by giving them temporary accommodation as old the old university halls in no longer being used.

Owen’s Park Accommodation

Spencer who is a University of Manchester student said: “The amount of homeless people you pass on the streets in Manchester is growing by the day, so something needs to be done to help sort this issue out.”

When asked why he created the petition Spencer Kay replied: “I created the petition because I wanted to formalise the idea of using empty buildings as some form shelter for homeless people, this will also help reduce the amount deaths and injuries that happen by living on the streets.”

 A spokesman for the University of Manchester said: This issue concerns us and we are extremely active in helping people in our community who are homeless. Through our employment programme, The Works, we have successfully provided jobs at the University to previously homeless people. We are signatories to the Manchester Homelessness Charter and as a part of this commitment, staff and students are supported by the University to volunteer and fundraise within the city.”

You can sign the petition at: https://www.change.org/p/manchester-university-to-provide-rooms-for-homeless-people 

 

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