EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A HOME

In our affluent island, it is shocking that many people do not. By February this year more than 508 people had registered during the last twelve months with Housing Matters, the Manx registered charity set up to tackle the problem here. Of those people, over 200 had no fixed abode. We don’t see rough sleepers here so many people do not realise we have a problem. It is hidden because we have a large and growing population of “sofa surfers” and urgent cases are picked up by Graih, the night shelter. Homelessness happens when people find themselves in situations they just can’t get out of and can strike anyone at any time, through redundancy, a relationship breakdown, or ill health, for example. Covid 19 is exacerbating the problem as businesses have to close, people lose their jobs and are unable to pay rent or mortgage payments. How welcome would a sofa surfer be in your household in these days of self-isolation and social distancing? Remember, we are not stuck in our homes, we are blessed to have a home. Please give what you can afford to help those who are not so blessed.