Oxfordshire Homeless Movement

Hot Weather Campaign Could Help Save Lives

Oxford, 18th June, 2024

Hot weather. How many lives will it claim?

Most people think of the homeless population at Christmas when the extreme cold can claim lives. However, record-breaking heatwaves are now more frequent with UK temperatures soaring to new highs¹.

Oxfordshire County Council's "Beat the Heat" campaign gives helpful advice about how people can help^2. One simple message being: drink more water and avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm.

Meteorologists predict UK summers soon hitting 40C on a regular basis³, with climate change pushing temperatures "into uncharted territory" ⁴. March 2024 was the world's warmest on record, partly due to El Niño.

OHM needs your help to support people experiencing homelessness in Oxfordshire through the summer. Our local councils have run severe weather emergency protocols (SWEP) for extreme cold for some time, but in 2023, Oxfordshire initiated a ‘Summer SWEP’, recognising that hot weather can also be dangerous.  

Extreme heat endangers people sleeping outside, they risk dehydration and heatstroke. Immediate help is essential—providing water, sun cream and sun hats etc and somewhere to shelter from the heat.

Most services rely on charitable donations. With OHM's core costs covered by a private donor, every penny you give supports our projects, helping more people in Oxfordshire find a home, community, and future.

The fight against homelessness requires more than temporary relief. Secure accommodation shields people from the streets, restores dignity, and offers a chance to rebuild a life.

• £10 could help someone rebuild their life by making it to vital appointments
• £30 could enable someone to be self-sufficient in their new home
• £50 could help someone recover from the trauma of homelessness with emotional support and guidance

Donate today to help make a difference. Together, we can protect the vulnerable and even maybe save a life this summer.

To donate via BACS or to send a cheque please contact us. (If you want to pay like this and would also like to add Gift Aid, please complete our Gift Aid Form and email it to hello@ohmteam.org)

 

See

• I want to fundraise
• I'm hot
• I want to help as a business or organisation
• I want to give money
• I want to help in some other way

See also

• Oxfordshire County Council Director of Public Health Annual Report on climate change and health 2023/24 
• Oxfordshire County Council advice 
• Oxfordshire County Council’s ‘Beat The Heat’ information campaign 

Footnotes

1. Sources: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-d6338d9f-8789-4bc2-b6d7-3691c0e7d138 and https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news-and-media/media-centre/weather-and-climate-news/2022/red-extreme-heat-warning-ud
2. https://oxfordshire.canto.global/v/communicationsportal/landing?viewIndex=1
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/68160864
4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68665166