A rough sleeper in Durham has said that a government which claims to be committed to ending rough sleeping should allow people to seek refuge at its buildings, after he was moved on from outside the Passport Office.
Richard Roncero, 42, from Edinburgh, is spending a week in 26 cities across the UK as part of a six-month sleep rough campaign to raise £1 million for his charity, Steps to Hope. The charity helps people into recovery and provides food and support for people experiencing homelessness.
On his first night in Durham city centre, Richard found a sheltered alcove outside a boarded-up building, which he later learned was the Passport Office. He said a security guard told him to vacate the area because the building belongs to the government.
Government buildings 'should offer refuge'
Richard said security told him he could not sleep outside the building because it belongs to the government. He claims the man also told him that a man once tried to sleep outside the Passport Office despite having a place to live.
Richard said: "From my perspective, what I'm saying is that this is a government problem. What they're saying to me is, it's okay for me to sleep across the road, but you can't sleep here because it's owned by the government. But a bridge or a shop doorway is absolutely fine?
"I find it really interesting. If anything, the government should be saying come and seek refuge at all of our properties, at the side of our properties and the alcove bit until we can get this sorted out."
Charity's recovery mission
Richard has been living on the streets for four weeks - in Glasgow, London, Manchester and now Durham - as part of the campaign to raise £1 million to build a recovery centre to help people overcome addiction. Residents will be guided through a 12-step recovery programme mentored by those with lived experience, including Richard, who has experienced his own battle with alcohol, cocaine addiction, and homelessness.
A former addict mentored him into recovery, and he will celebrate his 11th anniversary clean and sober on December 27. In 2024, the charity founder spent a week on the streets of Newcastle as part of an eight-week sleep rough campaign for the renovation and opening of Hope House, a 10-bedroom residential home for people in recovery. Steps to Hope's residential programme is open to anyone ready to start their recovery journey, with no funding required or prescription cap.
Amy Hetherington, from Chester-le-Street, was among the first residents to secure a place at Hope House while battling addiction, when it opened on August 12, 2024. After experiencing an addiction to self-harm and behaviours linked to eating disorders from a young age, Amy also later became addicted to alcohol and Pregabalin. She has now been sober for two years and credits Steps to Hope for saving her life.
Amy said she has turned her life around thanks to the charity, which continues to support her and is currently funding driving lessons to help her rebuild her life. She is now living back in the North East but travels back to Hope House in Edinburgh every two weeks for support sessions.
Richard said: "Amy was in the first ten of the community to come in... It shows that Steps to Hope is not just specific to Scotland, but the rest of the UK too. One of your own has actually benefited from our service."
Challenge takes toll
Reflecting on the challenge so far, Richard said: "Come the end of this week it will be a month that I've been on the streets and I'm feeling very unhappy. I'm very sad, tired - absolutely exhausted!
"I'm not looking myself, I feel unhygienic, my back's sore from sleeping on concrete. I feel alone and really upset within myself."
Richard said he has met another rough sleeper who has a house but is preparing to live back on the streets because he has never been shown "independent living" and feels "overwhelmed".
Richard said: "He said there's no gas and his electricity has been cut off so his house is actually colder than the streets and he's more familiar with the streets. He says he's got all these bills coming through and he feels overwhelmed so he's actually preparing himself to just come back onto the streets."
In August this year, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that everyone sleeping rough will be offered a route off the streets by Christmas as part of his national drive to end rough sleeping. The £442 million package is set to see areas with the greatest need receiving the largest share of support.
Richard added: "I suppose that highlights again that it's okay to double the funding to get everybody off the streets by Christmas, but this is prime example that it's not just about putting a roof over someone's head. This guy has been given a set of keys and he feels completely out of his depth so he's chosen to come back out onto the streets."
The government said it is committing over £4.4 billion for homelessness and rough sleeping services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including just over £2.2 billion for the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping portion of the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant. It added that local authorities have the flexibility to commission the services that meet the needs of people in their local communities.
A spokesperson for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "The Prime Minister has made clear his determination to offer a safe route off the streets this winter, and to end rough sleeping in Durham and across the country at the earliest opportunity.
"This is backed by a National Plan to End Homelessness – including over £16 million in County Durham over the next three years. Charities and local partners will play a vital role in delivering this to help people move into secure homes and get the support they need."
Anyone wishing to donate towards Richard's sleep rough campaign can donate via the charity's JustGiving page. To follow Richard's progress throughout his eight week challenge, follow the Steps to Hope Facebook page.
