Breakfast announcer MARK PARTON, of 2CC, sees a lot of cold, early mornings in Canberra from the comfort of a heated car or studio, but he cannot imagine sleeping rough in this town in winter

MOST Canberrans are oblivious to the fact that we have hundreds of homeless people in our town.

The rough edges of that reality are difficult to face but are cushioned somewhat by the services of St Vincent De Paul’s Night Patrol.
I had the pleasure of hosting the 10th anniversary shindig for the Night Patrol earlier this month.

Megs Skillicorn was there when it all started in 2001. The now-public servant was a wide-eyed, energetic 19-year-old back then when she was installed as the co-ordinator.

She took to the role like a duck to water. Within a few weeks, the growing number of homeless souls in our town didn’t just look forward to the appearance of the van, they depended on it.

“In Canberra homelessness is often invisible,” Megan told me. “It’s  safer for the homeless to not be seen, and for many of them it was a big thing to come forward and accept our services.”

Bob Wilson, CEO of Vinnies in our region, points out that the Night Patrol is not so much about soup, or coffee or biscuits, it’s about connection.

“It’s about meeting and engaging with people,” Bob told me. “Just listening is often the most important thing.”

Bob’s voice wavered with emotion as he addressed volunteers at the anniversary party. He knows first hand the sacrifices that they’ve made in the last decade to keep this service running. And he’s well aware of the way that the service has changed lives on the streets.

Vinnies and the other relief agencies are struggling to cope with the growing number of people seeking assistance. Mortgage stress and the increasing cost of living are forcing more Canberrans than ever before to seek a helping hand from Vinnies, the Salvos and various churches.

Bob and his volunteers will continue with the Night Patrol into the next decade. If you want to donate money to a charity which is making a difference locally, you can’t go past St Vincent De Paul.