Neptune Energy announced a £100,000 donation to Sheltersuit UK to help rough sleepers this winter. The donation will fund around 1,500 Shelterbags, which provide protection from the elements, and support the salaries of two Sheltersuit employees who came to the UK as refugees.
It’s the second year Neptune has provided financial support to Sheltersuit UK, which said it is facing unprecedented demand. Official figures have revealed a dramatic increase in the number of rough sleepers across the UK, including a 24%1 increase in London alone.
Neptune Energy’s Head of ESG, Kate Niblock, said: “With the number of people sleeping on London streets rising, we want to provide immediate help to those who need it the most. We’re proud to be working with Sheltersuit to provide essential support to rough sleepers in London and elsewhere in the UK.”
Sheltersuit Foundation UK’s Managing Director, Ian Sutherland McCook, said: “Rough sleeping is never on anyone’s death certificate, but there is no doubt it kills people in the UK every day, every night. Local councils are warning of a tidal wave of need caused by the end of Covid eviction bans, benefits freezes and rising bills.
“The best solution is to bring rough sleepers indoors but the numbers are increasing faster than society’s efforts to provide shelter. We can’t leave them sleeping outside in the cold, which is why we are focused on delivering protection to rough sleepers either directly or via shelters and agencies.”
The Sheltersuit products are created from recycled materials including waste products from the fashion industry and from outdoor materials including tents. Shelterbags are portable, sheltered beds that roll up into a bag. They are insulated, waterproof, lightweight and have a built-in pillow.
Sheltersuits are wind and waterproof jackets with a sleeping bag attachment to provide immediate shelter. They include a jacket, sleeping bag and duffel bag, with a large hood to shield the wearer’s face from rain and contain an integrated scarf.
In the last 18 months, Sheltersuit has distributed more than 400 Shelterbags and Sheltersuits in the UK. The organisation also donated around 80 Shelterbags to support aid efforts in Ukraine this year.
The Sheltersuit Foundation was founded in 2014 by Dutch fashion designer, Bas Timmerman, after a friend of his father died of hypothermia while waiting for a homeless shelter to open. Today, the organisation operates in the UK, Netherlands, South Africa and the United States.
1Urgent action needed now says St Mungo’s as latest figures show rough sleeping continues to rise in London
