Recent Government figures show that homelessness in England continues to rise, with record numbers of people sleeping rough and families living in temporary accommodation. The latest annual rough sleeping snapshot estimates that 4,793 people slept rough on a single night in Autumn 2025 — the highest number on record. This is up from 4,667 the previous year and represents a 56% increase compared with three years ago.
Newbury Soup Kitchen and many other local charities and community groups attended St John’s Church Newbury Christmas Tree Festival today. This is a special part of our calendar. Our volunteers and team come every year to decorate our designated tree.
HOMELESSNESS IS NOT JUST FOR CHRSTMASAs the weather turns colder and the evenings grow darker, most of us shift our focus toward Christmas, time with loved ones, festive meals, shopping for gifts, and creating moments of joy for those we cherish.Meanwhile, in the doorway of a quiet street, a solitary homeless person sits with a[...]
