BBC Three Counties Radio breakfast host Andy Collins interviewed Matthew Bushnell, Luton Homelessness Partnership Chair to learn more about the COVID-19 Task Force being set up for homeless people in Luton.

Matthew did a great job in highlighting that people who are homeless fall in the high-risk category of potentially contracting the virus. He spoke of how organisations within the partnership are working in collaboration to support each other get through this time of crisis and what help is needed from the public in order to protect some of our most vulnerable people in society.

You can listen to the full interview here, Matthew’s slot is between 1:07:55 – 1:16:25.

[01:08:56]
“It’s quite well documented that people who are homeless are usually affected by multiple disadvantages. One of them is health concerns. They suffer the same types of illnesses as people who are housed would, but they are worsened and more disadvantaged because they have no fixed abode, they have no permanent shelter.”

[01:10:45]
“What we’re doing [Luton Homeless Partnership], is trying to help each other as organisations cause we all have our own difficulties to get through this. We’re trying to help each other to see where we can support each other and we’re doing a really job with communicating with each other and seeing what resources we can share is.”

[01:15:27]
“Isn’t it good to see there’s a majority of people out there who have really helped others? Helping out the homeless, also volunteering for the NHS. The numbers are unbelievable with the amount of people who have volunteered. It kind of rekindles your belief in human kindness.”

We keep hearing stories of communities coming together in the pandemic which is inspiring and uplifting. While the suffering and pain which people have experienced as a direct and indirect result of the Coronavirus must not be minimalised, we hope that through all of this we can continue to foster community spirit and work together to support one another to the best of our ability.