Woman creates ‘coat exchange’ to help freezing homeless people
A British paramedic has come up with a simple way to help homeless people as winter starts to bite – a coat exchange.
Fay Sibley set up the exchange in her home town, Colchester, after seeing a similar scheme in Yorkshire.
The idea is simple – Sibley leaves a coat airer in the road, and anyone who needs a coat can take one.
Anyone who wants to help out can leave a coat there.
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Sibley told the Huffington Post, ‘I work in London and I’m always quite moved by the people I see on my walk from Liverpool Street to London Bridge. I walk past several people who are forced to sleep rough.
‘There are no rules, if you have a need – whether you’re homeless or not homeless, if you just can’t afford a good winter coat and there’s one there, the idea is that you’re free to take it. There are no criteria, if you need one, take one. If you want to help, leave one, it’s that simple.
Word spread rapidly on Facebook in Colchester – and Sibley was donated 40 coats, plus a proper clothes rail.
She says, ‘I couldn’t have in my wildest dreams have believed that people would take it on as they have and get behind it like they have and be so positive about it. The comments have been overwhelmingly supportive and positive, there’s been nothing negative that I’ve seen. I’m blown away really.
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