HOPES of providing more support and a possible shelter for St Austell's young homeless people have been mooted during a homelessness conference.

The vision came as homeless supporters packed a conference at St Augustine's Church, St Austell, this weekend.

Hosted by the Friends of St Austell Homeless (FOSTAH), the aim of the conference – said to be the only meeting of its kind to be held in the town for four years – was to tackle St Austell's homelessness issue.

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During the conference St Austell and Newquay MP Stephen Gilbert, also lent his support to helping St Austell's young homeless.

Representatives from the charity St Petroc's Society, supported accommodation scheme Cosgarne Hall, St Austell Community Kitchen (STAK), SHARE St Austell and Emmaus – a charity providing accommodation and employment for homeless men which is hoping to move into Cornwall – united to share what can be done to help those in need.

The official number of homeless people in Cornwall is 86, but St Petroc's told the conference it believes the real number is closer to 250.

Share youth worker Jane Wood said despite 134 18 to 25-year-olds in St Austell living on the streets, sofa surfing or at risk of becoming homeless, there was no accommodation for them in the town.

Share, which is run by Cornwall Council to support and advise young people, relies on donations to offer tents and food for those left out in the cold.

She said: "What's missing in St Austell is supported accommodation, specifically for young people – society has a responsibility to the homeless."

One of the comments read out from a 17-year-old female said: "The Jobcentre is hopeless, so is the council, they need to start caring about the community and stop turning the other cheek."

Another homeless person, aged 22, had written: "Being homeless in St Austell is awful, as people bully you for it, the people always move you on. Being homeless leads to other things like crime and drugs and alcohol, and there don't seem to be many people who want to help you. It's hard work – stay in groups."

Mrs Wood said discussions were beginning to look at ways to provide support to this generation.

"There is supported accommodation if you have a specific need, not specifically for young people."

Volunteer Tom Milford, 27, who helps to provide hot meals to the homeless and needy at STAK, was just 21 when he became homeless after falling behind with the rent on his Newquay caravan which was then burnt down.

He has managed to rebuild his life but still remembers the struggle.

'Relentless'

"It was horrible; it was lonely in the purest sense," he said.

"For six months I walked from Stenalees to St Austell every day with a broken collarbone to visit the housing officer –it was a relentless effort just to achieve normality.

"It's simple, more funding is needed. It is mental how little there is for Cornwall, which has the largest street homelessness outside of London – this should be addressed immediately."

Mr Gilbert said a specialist worker in Newquay would help solve the crisis there but St Austell could benefit from "a facility for young homeless people".

He added: "In both towns there is a lot of hugely decent work going on to help rough sleepers get back on track and we need to build on that."