Homeless People are at High Risk of Dehydration and Heat Exhaustion During the Summer
Many people are conscious of homelessness in the winter months as much more awareness is made to make sure they have a warm place to spend the night. Summer in England is perceived to be quite pleasant however, being homeless in the heat is a struggle. People on the streets are vulnerable to dehydration, sunburn, heat-related illnesses and in some extreme cases death.
There are many different scenarios that could cause this. For example, some can be trapped in the heat of their tents when the sun is beaming down, the pavements can get too hot, their pets can be at risk, and those who drink alcohol and take drugs also increase their risk of dehydration.
Health authorities commonly advise people to drink 2 litres of water a day. A homeless woman Sarah shared her experience with the BBC, “If I go into a shop or cafe and try and ask for a glass of water, they always say no. If people think you’re homeless, they just won’t help you. If someone who didn’t look homeless went in and asked for water, they’d get it. It’s so frustrating.”
Additionally, another homeless person said that being outside in the winter is better because at least you have the option to go inside, put layers on and go to winter shelters. During the summer it’s harder and more uncomfortable to sleep in the heat on the streets.
That is why we have decided to bring some light to this issue. We want to help keep homeless people healthy and hydrated during the hotter months. We will be releasing limited edition bottles by the end of June. For every bottle sold, we give another refillable cartoned water to a homeless person. We will be supplying rough sleepers on the streets with Aquapax water. These are lightweight, convenient for them to carry around, refillable and environmentally friendly.
These bottles will be distributed like we do with our socks, to homeless shelters, homelessness services and outreach organisations.
Stay tuned for when we launch and don’t MIST out!