Around 20 people are sleeping rough on Glasgow streets according to a charity helping homeless people.

Simon Community Scotland said demand for help at its city centre hub has hit 500 people a week.

The charity is calling for help this winter to deliver more support to people as more people find themselves in desperation.

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Last month Glasgow City Council declared a housing emergency as more people are homeless and the number of people stuck in temporary accommodation is rising.

Simon Community is one of the organisations dealing with people who find themselves on the street and has reported a big rise in rough sleeping.

Last year it was still being stated that the number of rough sleepers was as low as five.

Now Simon Community which has street team volunteers and workers meeting people every night says there are as many as 20.

Glasgow Times:

One of them Kirsty, aged 37, from Glasgow, told of her ordeal before she was able to access help.

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She said: “I was lost. In a downward spiral of poor mental health and taking copious amounts of drugs to block out pain and trauma.

“I had a job, I had a home, I was in a relationship and I lost them all. I was sofa surfing and then I was on the streets, or in hostels.”

She was directed to the Simon Community hub after the street team spoke to her.

The woman added: “It was the safest place I had been for months. It felt safe to talk, safe to connect with the support workers, safe to tell them my story and all my fears.”

Kirsty was then able to get a place in the charity’s specialist women’s support service.

She said: “I had my own room with an en-suite bathroom - something I’d never had before.

“I had access to 24-hour support. I felt safe. And my mental health improved considerably.”

Kirsty said she is now in her own home but still gets help with addictions and experience of homelessness.

The charity is asking businesses to help.

Lorraine McGrath, chief executive, said: “Too many people are now struggling to maintain their homes, too many people are homeless. Anyone walking through our city centre streets will visibly notice an increase in people experiencing rough sleeping and being driven to begging on the streets.”

The charity needs to raise £200,000 to meet the rapidly rising demand.

For more on the Emergency Winter Appeal visit the webpage here.