Canterbury City Council has announced a policy to offer bottled water and sun cream to those sleeping on the streets during the current summer heatwave.

With an estimated homeless population of 97 in early 2018, and with the current temperature expected to remain around 30°C, the Council has decided to act amid speculation that the heat record could be broken by Friday.

The initiative is being carried out local charities and businesses, specifically: Catching Lives, Porchlight and the Street Pastors, all partners of the Council. Once at any of these locations, volunteers are ready to hand out water and sun cream to those who need it.

Canterbury Council has also announced that it is donating additional funding to Catching Lives to keep the charity open until 3pm, to cover the hottest parts of the day.

As part of the effort to keep the homeless safe in the summer climate, the public have also been urged to donate bottled water, sun cream or hats to Catching Lives, located on 13 Station Road.

Kent County Council have today also escalated the heatwave alert in the region to level three, where temperatures are expected to reach 30°C during the day and 15°C at night for two consecutive days.

Despite the warning, the Met Office are currently predicting that temperatures in Canterbury to subside after Friday, with relatively cooler temperatures between 21°C-24°C over the weekend.

Whilst the policy to keep the homeless safe in the summer heat is notable, it is not the first the Council have announced to promote re-hydration in the summer heat. In May, the Council partnered with the charity Refill, to allow Council owned venues to refill water bottles on request to members of the public.

These locations include: The Marlowe Theatre, Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, Whitefriars in Canterbury, with the King’s Hall and Whitstable Harbour office further afield.

Porchlight, Catching Lives and the Street Pastors have all been contacted for their perspective.