| UNLEASH Church Action on Homelessness in London Press Release |
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People not Paupers: What Happens When People Die Homeless?FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6 October 1998 UNLEASH (Church Action on Homelessness in London) is to issue the first ever guide to funeral arrangements for people who die homeless. The guide, People not Paupers: Who Cares When Someone Dies Homeless?, will be launched at 4.00 p.m. on Monday 12th October, 1998, at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. The press is welcome to attend. Following the brief public launch, there will be a special session for the press. According to one study, over 140 people die homeless each year in London alone (IMPORTANT: the figure includes people who die in night shelters, hostels, police cells etc --- not just on the streets). When such deaths occur a number of difficult questions arise: Whose responsibility is it to ensure that funeral arrangements and burial or cremation are done with dignity? How is the family to be contacted, particularly if ties have been severed? How should other homeless people and homelessness projects be involved? What sort of religious service is appropriate? Who will handle the dead person's affairs, including payment for the funeral? How to avoid "a pauper's grave"? These are among the questions which the guide addresses. The guide draws on the experiences of homelessness project workers, local authority officers, police, funeral directors, Social Security officers, and clergy who took part in two seminars held earlier in the year. The seminars revealed that people with different responsibilities do want to work together but are not always clear as to what each other's precise roles are. The guide spells out the role of each in separate chapters and makes suggestions as to how collaboration can be improved. Review copies of the guide are available to the press on request from Pat Logan (tel: 020-7939 9400). FURTHER INFORMATION Queries about the sorts of situations faced by people with day-today involvement with homeless people may be directed to: Father Diamuid O'Murchu, Counsellor to the Residents at Providence Row Queries about the dilemmas faced by clergy who are called to be involved in funerals of homeless people may be directed to: The Revd. Nicholas Holtam, Vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields The Revd. Richard Truss, Vicar of
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