What is SWEP and why does it matter?

SWEP is short for Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.

In London, this is activated by the Mayor of London, the GLA and local borough councils (in our case, Westminster City Council) when there is a threat to life due to extreme weather conditions. This can include temperatures falling below freezing or raising to 30C+.

Simply put, SWEP is an emergency response designed to protect people sleeping rough when they need it most.

SWEP has now been activated due to plummeting temperatures and snow in London.

At The Connection, we will be:

to help as many people as possible stay safe during this extreme weather.

To help meet the increasing demand, we are also running a winter hotel to help people through the coldest months.

But we need your help.

A donation today could help us to prepare for what’s to come and support people sleeping rough at this vital time.

Please help us keep people safe tonight.

Three other ways you can help

1. Stop and say hello 

If you feel comfortable, say hello and check if the person is OK. Acknowledging people and treating them with kindness is important and makes a big difference.

2. Tell StreetLink 

StreetLink is a service that allows people to send an alert when they see someone sleeping rough. Using StreetLink is the best action you can take because it makes sure that local outreach teams are aware of the person sleeping and their location, and can send workers out to find them.   

To send an alert, visit www.streetlink.org.uk or download the app and click ‘take action’  

3. Call for medical assistance 

If someone is unresponsive or in need of urgent medical attention, call 999 for an emergency ambulance. Please don’t hesitate – it is far better to call an ambulance that isn’t needed than to ignore a situation where a life could be saved.