SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) is Reading’s emergency scheme to protect the lives of rough sleepers each time that cold weather warnings are issued by the Met Office.
When SWEP is activated it means anyone who is sleeping on the streets will be provided with a short-term emergency bed space, offering them a safe and warm place to sleep. They will also receive personal care packs and something to eat.
Launchpad works closely with Reading Borough Council, St Mungo’s, the YMCA and the Salvation Army to make SWEP happen.
Our role is to co-ordinate donations and make up care packs for people when they are placed in accommodation.
Those supported by SWEP will have access to a kettle to prepare food so some of the items we collect include pot noodles and pot pasta, cuppa soups, tea bags, breakfast bar and porridge pots.
We collect personal care items such as socks, toothpaste and brushes, deodorant, shampoo, shower gel, sanitary towels and lip balms.
Then we make sure there are a few treats such as chocolate bars, biscuits and fruit juice.
We are grateful to local organisations who have supported SWEP to far this year, which includes a local Beaver group.
1st Shinfield Beavers had a visit from Fiona and Max from Launchpad who spoke to them about our work, helped them to make up some care packs from donations they had brought and, just for fun, they decorated gingerbread houses.
Fiona said: “When you’re talking to five and six-year-olds about our work you have to make it age appropriate.
“The Beavers enjoyed making up the packs of goods. They also loved making the gingerbread houses and were very keen to put the gingerbread people inside so they wouldn’t get cold.”
We’d like to thank these people for donations to SWEP – the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.
- ZB & BC
- 1st Shinfield Beavers
- Blackline
- Akon Technologies
- Interpath Ltd
- PWC
- Thames Water
- TWELVE
- Evoke Transport
- SAP
- Once a Month (Reading Students’ Uni Association) donated 50 period packs
