WORSHIPPERS took to the streets of Oxford yesterday to gain an insight into the plight of homeless people and the work done to support them.

About 40 people who attended a service at St Giles Church headed on a trail around the city for the rest of the day, visiting various homelessness organisations on their way.

Reverend Canon Andrew Bunch, who organised the Oxford Homeless Trail, said he hoped it was raise both awareness and money.

He said: “I hope people can begin to feel they have a bit of an understanding of what it is like to be on the streets.

“We have got to raise people’s awareness of what it means to be homeless before we can raise the issue of giving money.

“It has gone well and I hope that when people have finished the trail they will know more about what the various services do.”

The trail included stops at the Quaker meeting house in St Giles, Crisis in George Street, Simon House in Paradise Street and Refresh Cafe in Cowley Road.

Those taking part were not allowed to use mobile phones to help them find the stops or travel by public transport.

Rev Canon Bunch said: “The churches have been incredibly involved in tackling homelessness.

“You will find a lot of people involved in these homeless services are church members.”

He organised the walk after Oxfordshire County Council announced last year that more than 200 beds for the homeless would go when Simon House Hostel in Oxford and Julian Housing – based in Abingdon and Oxford – are ‘decommissioned’ by April 2018 in order to save £1.5m over the next three years.

Daphne Jefferies was among those who took part in the trail.

She said: “I want to be a bit more aware of homelessness and what there is in Oxford to help.

“You can pass by people in the street and wonder about what you can do to help.

“The situation is getting much worse than it ever was before.”

Husband and wife Roger and Cheryl Trafford, who worship at St Margaret’s Church in North Oxford, also joined the walk.

Mrs Trafford said: “We are doing this because we realise there is a big problem in the city and there are many agencies trying to do their bit.

“There is not enough money to go around and we all need to be better informed about what we can do to help.”