For homeless young people like Laura, the night bus can be their only option for a safe place to sleep, away from having to endure another night on the streets. However, every time a homeless person boards a night bus, they are putting both their physical health and mental wellbeing at risk.
As temperatures continue to plummet, we urgently need your help to give people like Laura a route out of homelessness. Please give what you can today.
With the severe weather that has hit the country over the last number of weeks, we need to act now to give homeless young people a warm, safe place to stay - away from the night bus.
Last year, we supported more than 15,000 homeless 16- 25-year-olds nationally.
94% of young people are satisfied with the services Centrepoint provide.
88% of young people we support move on positively.
It can all start with a text message from a friend, family member or stranger. One that reads of how there's no place for them to stay. From that point on, homeless young people like Laura are alone and vulnerable, quickly trying to come up with ideas of how they're going to make it through the night.
That usually means sneaking onto the local night bus, only to ride around for hours - huddling into a coat for warmth and trying desperately to stay awake to keep themselves out of danger.
Laura became homeless about two years ago, when the relationship with her family reached breaking point. Her dad's drinking had gone from bad to worse and their rows had become unbearable. One day, she couldn't take it any longer and left home - knowing she'd have to manage as best she could on her own.
Laura's heard many stories of homeless people being beaten up, abused or exploited on night buses. She is at the mercy of her fellow passengers and is constantly having to be alert in case of danger. A growing number of people like Laura are being forced to take this risk - a number that peaked last February, when night time temperatures were often below zero.
For many homeless young people like Laura, it is vital that they receive the support they so desperately need. With the severe weather that has hit the country over the last number of weeks, we need to act now to give people a warm, safe place to stay, away from the night bus.
Please give what you can today.
