Bedford Borough Council
Landmark facility for
rough sleepers
Rogers Court, a landmark facility with 20 units of self-contained accommodation for those rough sleeping, or at risk of doing so, opened in Bedford Borough in August. T e fi rst residents are set to move into the facili-
ty, which has been remodelled and refurbished by Kier Construction working with their local supply chain in less than six months, following a successful funding bid by the council to the Government. T e building has been handed over to the coun-
cil and SMART Bedford, who provide services for those rough sleeping locally, and in this case, they will be providing support services to the residents of Rogers Court 24/7. After a tender process, SMART was awarded a three-year contract to develop and run this innovative service, giving a stable base for residents and allowing them a better chance of leading independent lives. Mayor Dave Hodgson said: “T is facility will
be an incredible asset to the support we can give to those rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleep- ing. Throughout COVID-19, we have taken the approach of ‘Everyone In’ and done our best to engage with people and provide support to some of the most vulnerable in our community. “We have worked proactively with SMART and
other partners to fi nd innovative ways to provide support, and help people make long-term improve- ments in their lives and benefi t from this care and support to become independent.” Cllr Colleen Atkins, Portfolio Holder for
Housing, said: “Rogers Court is an important step forward and an example of how seriously the coun- cil takes homelessness and the support that we give to rough sleepers in our endeavour to eradicate rough sleeping.” Anita McCallum, CEO, SMART CJS, added:
“We are so delighted that rough sleepers are get- ting this much-needed investment in the form of excellent, independent units. These will be invaluable in getting people back on their feet, o ften after experiencing trauma and other diffi culties in their lives. We have seen that when more comprehensive
support is given to those vulnerably housed or sleeping rough, they recover more quickly and can then get back into education, training and employ- ment opportunities.”
42 ALL THINGS BUSINESS
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