AN ASSOCIATION of groups working together to help homeless and socially-excluded people in Sheffield hosted its first annual meeting with a piece of drama about street drinkers.
SAVE - the Sheffield Agencies for the Vulnerable and Excluded - welcomed to its meeting at the Victoria Hall the Dead Ernest Theatre Company, who put on a play about the problems facing street drinkers.
The annual meeting was a first for the group, set up a year ago as the successor to the Vulnerable People's Task Group when its funding ran out.
Around 40 groups and organisations working with homeless and vulnerable people are represented in the association, with the aim of creating a stronger, single voice for the people they serve.
Organisations include the St Wilfrid's day centre in Queen's Road, the Sheffield Churches Homelessness Forum, St Anne's Hostel, Aspire Sheffield, Business Action on Homelessness, Target Housing, and Places for People.
Over its first year in operation the main objectives have been tackling issues relating to accommodation, employment, and health matters for vulnerable and homeless people in Sheffield.
It has also linked up with the Street Smart national fundraising programme, which sees restaurants ask customers for a voluntary £1 donation on their meal bill in the two months leading up to Christmas.
Last year Nonna's on Ecclesall Road got on board with the programme, and raised £1,250 for the charity. Street Smart rounded the figure up to £1,500, which SAVE decided to donate to the Ben's Centre - a 'damp' drop-in centre where street drinkers can go while under the influence but without any alcohol.
Ruth Grayson, SAVE chair, said: "We are planning to run it again this autumn and we are hoping more restaurants will come on board."
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