The NELFT Rough Sleepers Mental Health Team turned Santa to deliver Christmas gifts to people under the service who are sleeping rough or in emergency accommodation over Christmas.

The team, which has only been operating since March 2020, works with people across the four NELFT London boroughs and has continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which radically changed the rough sleeping landscape as rough sleepers were placed in temporary accommodation out of their usual areas.

Many of the clients have no friends or family support networks and would not receive any gifts, so the team asked for donations from the mental health staff based at Mellmead House in Redbridge and were overwhelmed with the generous response. Service manager Sue Tatch said “It is really heart-warming to see NELFT staff, who have all faced their own challenges this year, making such an effort for the clients in the Rough Sleeping Service. It really shows the care and compassion our staff have for others.” 

The picture shows team lead Julia Jones, with some of the gifts received.