Rising homelessness met with unwavering compassion and community action in South Buckinghamshire
As homelessness reaches record levels in Buckinghamshire, Wycombe Homeless Connection says the response from local people has been nothing short of extraordinary. From a volunteer-run winter night shelter that has already supported more than 30 people in six weeks, to hundreds of residents giving their time, food and funds, communities across South Buckinghamshire are stepping up to protect their most vulnerable neighbours...
Next year, Wycombe Homeless Connection will mark 20 years of serving South Buckinghamshire in our mission to end the harm homelessness does and stop it before it starts.
Over those two decades, one thing has remained constant: the extraordinary compassion of our community.
When people find themselves in the horrific position of losing their home, or living with the daily fear that they might, the response from the people across South Buckinghamshire is action.
At the beginning of January this year, the 15th winter night shelter opened its doors. It is hosted across seven local churches and is led by volunteers. More than 300 local people have attended training, cooked meals, set up beds, driven the shelter van, done laundry, stayed up overnight and, most importantly, offered dignity and human connection.
In the first six weeks of the shelter so far, more than 30 people who would otherwise have been sleeping on the streets have been given safety and support, That is almost as many as we accommodated during the whole 13-week shelter last year.
One of our shelter guests said: “The volunteers were amazing. They would listen and chat with you and didn’t criticize. They stay with you overnight. It means you can sleep well because you know that you are safe and no one is going to steal from you. It’s a different level of support.”
That is what our community looks like.
We are proud to partner with organisations who faithfully make life safer and warmer for those facing homelessness from all across the south of the county: All Saints Church and their Mustard Club; Oakridge Church and Kings Church offering weeknight meals and High Wycombe Library which offers a warm, welcoming space. Local coffee shops regularly open their doors to us so we can meet people somewhere they feel safe and unjudged.
Hundreds of people donate their time, food, clothing, and money. Volunteers also work tirelessly behind the scenes, sort donations, provide administrative and governance support, help us raise awareness and importantly, challenge stigma. In November this year, our major fundraising event, the Big Sleepout will be back, bigger and better than ever. We know, like hundreds before them, local people will swap their beds for a sleeping bag to raise money and act in solidarity with those who have no choice but to sleep outside.
This is a community that cares, demonstrably and consistently.
Homelessness is rising in Buckinghamshire; it is a persistent and severe reality, hidden behind the county’s reputation as a wealthy home county.
In the 2024/25 financial year, Buckinghamshire recorded the 5th highest number of homelessness applications of any local authority in England; that’s people trying to register them, and often their families, with the council because they don’t have a home.
Over the last 13 years, Buckinghamshire has ranked as the 26th highest local authority for rough sleeping out of 296, placing it firmly within the top 10% nationally. In 2021, High Wycombe was the number one area in the UK for food insecurity, underscoring the depth of deprivation that exists alongside visible affluence. Parts of the Chilterns have some of the lowest levels of social mobility in England, confirming that Buckinghamshire is not just a hard place to fall, but a hard place to recover once you do.
Already in 2026, at Wycombe Homeless Connection, we know of more than 40 people asking for help because they are sleeping on our streets. Over the course of a full year there will be many more than this. Our team works hard to find somewhere for them to live as soon as possible which may include a stay at our winter night shelter while they're waiting for a more permanent solution.
But what most people see on the streets represents only a fraction of the reality. For every single person visibly sleeping rough, ninety-nine more are hidden: sofa surfing, living in unsuitable, unsafe places, or trying to get by in insecure temporary accommodation, never knowing if it will be taken away.
We know our community understand that homelessness is not a choice.
No one chooses trauma, instability, fear or ill health. People sleeping rough are far more likely to be victims of crime than to commit crime. They are also far more likely to experience serious physical and mental ill health than someone who is housed. The average age of death for a woman sleeping on the streets in the UK is just 43, decades younger than the national average. This intolerable reality is what drives our health, outreach and support projects, all powered by volunteers and our supporters including individuals, faith groups, businesses, schools and more.
When people ask us, “Why are they homeless?” or “Why don’t they accept help?” we gently suggest a different question: why was this allowed to happen in the first place and what can we do to prevent it?
Our CEO, James Boultbee said: “Prevention is the heart of lasting change. The Government’s new homelessness strategy rightly centres on prevention, and we are proud to say we have been placing prevention at the core of our work for nearly a decade. Our prevention hotlines and drop-in sessions are open to anyone facing housing crisis, because keeping someone in their home, or securing a safe, sustainable alternative quickly, prevents the immense trauma and cost of street homelessness. Every time we prevent someone from sleeping rough, it protects their health and wellbeing and reduces pressure on local services and emergency responders.”
It takes a whole community to change someone’s life.
Our role at Wycombe Homeless Connection is to enable that compassion to become practical, effective action, through outreach teams, trained volunteers, specialist staff and strong partnerships.
What we do not want to see is a narrative that dehumanises or marginalises people who are already experiencing one of the most traumatic situations imaginable. The overwhelming majority of people in High Wycombe and South Buckinghamshire understand this. They show it every day, by making us aware of those who need help and supporting our work so we can be here for people who need our help.
This is a community that cares for its most vulnerable neighbours. That is the story we see. That is the story we are proud to be part of. And that is the story that deserves to be told.
Please explore our website to find out how you can join our mission to stop homelessness before it starts and prevent the harm it can do. Our urgent appeal is also live: click here