This summer we are raising funds to support our essential summer provision. Supporting our services by opening our doors for longer, giving people additional access to showers, shade, suncream, hats, waterbottles, refreshments and water.

Despite our name, Wintercomfort supports people with experience of homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness all year round, by offering essential welfare services and social, learning and work and volunteer opportunities.

Our centre, Overstream House, provides essential welfare throughout the year and during summer these services are just as vital. These include access to showers, toiletries, laundry services, free clothing, and footwear, helping people to maintain a sense of dignity and self-respect. We offer a free breakfast and lunch to all rough sleepers..

During summer 2025 we supported 362 individual’s (between June 1st – August 31st) and this summer we expect this number to be higher, as the current demand for our services is staggering. We are still seeing a surge in demand; with the cost-of-living crisis, a severe lack of social housing and record high rents, as many people in full time work are struggling to pay rent and are at risk of homelessness. And while our plan is to be able to work with more people in difficulty to address their circumstances before they become homeless, we need your help today, this summer, to aid and assist those we support as they face a summer on the streets.

Our welfare programme gives those we support a start, however in summer there are additional factors we have to take into account. During very hot temperatures we will open our doors for longer, giving people additional access to somewhere with showers, shade, and plenty of food and water. Our breakfast and lunch food provision will be altered to include more cold food, with higher water content. We will give everyone a water bottle, and access to fill it, and offer light, loose-fitting clothing, as well as hats and shorts. We will also hand out suncream, and crisps and salty snacks to stop dehydration, and bags to carry these items.

This support, and our preparation, which follows advice from Cambridge City Council, will help to reduce the risk of ill-health. Hot weather can cause people to become unwell due to dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, and with this summer provision we are supporting those who are most vulnerable.