This wasn’t just a political gesture. As a veteran who once served in the British Army, I’ve spoken out before about how no one who has served their country should ever end up homeless. I wrote an article on this very issue not long ago, and now that I’ve taken office, I felt it was my duty to understand the reality on the ground.
I met with Alex Copeland, the manager of the Hope Centre, who gave me a frank and sobering insight into the current state of homelessness in Northampton. What I heard was deeply concerning. According to Alex, the number of homeless people in our town has tripled in just the last three years.
He explained that much of this is being driven by the growth of the local drug trade and sex industry, both of which are drawing vulnerable people into Northampton from other parts of the county. People are coming here not because they want to, but because they are being pulled in by forces that exploit desperation.
We talked about how many of these individuals have complex backgrounds, some are victims of childhood poverty, broken homes, physical or sexual abuse. Others are more recent casualties of the cost-of-living crisis.
It was clear to me that homelessness is no longer an issue that exists only at the margins of society. With rising rents, unaffordable mortgages, and utility bills climbing every month, ordinary people, families, workers, even pensioners, are slipping into homelessness.
And this doesn’t just impact them. When people become homeless, they are at real risk of being exploited by criminal gangs. We see it in the county lines drug trade. We see it in coerced sex work. The entire community suffers when vulnerable people are left without support.
Nationally, homelessness has risen by more than 25% over the past year. Northampton is not immune to this crisis, in fact, we are seeing its sharp edge right here on our streets.
As Alex took me around the Hope Centre, I met staff and former rough sleepers who had been helped to turn their lives around. I was inspired by their stories but also struck by just how little the charity has in the way of facilities.
Alex was honest with me about the financial pressure the organisation faces. Despite doing amazing work every day, they are stretched to the limit. It’s a testament to their passion and commitment that they manage to help as many people as they do.
When I asked whether there were homeless veterans living on our streets, Alex nodded. Yes, he said, there are. That hit me hard. To know that those who once wore a uniform and served this country are now sleeping rough, despite the efforts of the Hope Centre, other charities, and even our own council, it made me feel that we are failing in our duty of care.
This visit has left a lasting impression on me. It has strengthened my resolve to continue raising awareness of homelessness, not just for veterans, but for all those in our community who are suffering.
We need to face this crisis head-on. That means more support for services like the Hope Centre, and a recognition that homelessness is not someone else’s problem, it’s all of ours.
I will do everything I can, as a councillor and as someone who has worn the uniform, to keep this issue on the agenda and fight for those who deserve a second chance.