As the Beast from the East hit Manchester, you may have noticed that some rough sleepers chose to stay out in the snow even there were spare places in emergency accommodation.

it’s five weeks before the local elections in Manchester and Nick Buckley who is standing in the Deansgate Ward explained to About Manchester just why that was the case.

Over the cold spell, the government forced councils to open up shelters as the temperature fell below zero, the shelter on Oldham Street opened its doors to around forty people.

“We can book you a bed tonight” but as Nick found out although a small percentage wanted the room, quite a lot said they were not interested.

Remarkable perhaps but when you understand the reasons, it all becomes a little clearer.

Two things came out, “I don’t like hostels and shelters” they said, citing examples of bullying, being picked on, having belongings stolen. The shelters have a very hierarchical structure.”I been in them lots and lots of time but what is the point if you are going to throw me back on the streets.”

Hostels will always be just a stepping stone of course but perhaps the most remarkable story was the case of a man who said that he was acclimatised to sleep on the streets.

“I can cope in minus four degrees but if I get warm it mess up the way my body works so if you can promise me that I can stay after the cold spell then I’ll come”

Other asked why it is only open for three days, the second it goes above zero degrees it shuts.

The figures for rough sleeping in Manchester are appalling, on a normal night there are about 150 people, during the cold weather a good half, Nick believes were still out there.

Nick also tells the story of an individual who had all of Manchester’s agencies looking for him as he was dying and it was essential that he was given medical treatment. There were daily meetings about him but it took three weeks to find him and by that time, all the services that had been set up to help him had been cancelled.

All that could be offered to him was an assessment for accommodation and drug treatment, the individual has not been seen since

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