Most of the time, you will find the Cambridge Street Outreach Team (SOT) walking the streets during the day — looking for people who may be sleeping rough, or trying to locate someone who has been reported via StreetLink. Once a person is verified as sleeping rough, the team begin to build trust, liaise with partner organisations, and start the referral process into services such as Jimmy’s.
However, six times a year, the Cambridge Street Outreach Team also carry out a street count. Last night, two members of the Jimmy’s team joined outreach workers for the January street count, seeing first-hand what the city looks like while most people are asleep.
What is a Street Outreach Street Count?
In Cambridge, the Street Outreach Street Count usually refers to the city’s official Rough Sleeper Count, coordinated by Cambridge City Council alongside local outreach services and partner organisations.
What it is
- An annual snapshot count of people sleeping rough in Cambridge
- Typically carried out on one night in autumn (often October–November)
- Conducted by trained outreach workers, sometimes alongside council staff and partners
- Follows UK government methodology, meaning figures are comparable nationally
Alongside this annual snapshot, Cambridge also carries out regular counts throughout the year, including the January count, to monitor changes and respond quickly when people are newly on the streets.
Who’s involved
- Cambridge City Council
- Local outreach providers and homelessness charities
- Housing officers and partner organisations
What’s counted
People bedding down outside or in places not meant for habitation, such as:
- Doorways
- Parks
- Car parks
- Tents
The count does not include people staying in hostels, shelters, or temporary accommodation.
Why it matters
Street counts help to:
- Inform local homelessness and rough sleeping strategies
- Influence government funding decisions
- Track trends in rough sleeping over time
- Ensure outreach and accommodation are targeted where they’re needed most
A Night on the Streets
By Sara – Communications Officer at Jimmy’s
At 3.15am, the team met at the outreach base in Cambridge for a hot cup of tea and a briefing on what to expect, who would be covering which areas, and safety arrangements for the night. One person remained at the office throughout the count, checking in every half hour to ensure all teams were safe.
At 4am, the count began, with teams heading out to cover three different routes across the city. One route alone covered around five miles.
We walked through back streets, small wooded areas, stairwells, car parks and other hidden spaces, looking for anyone who may have been bedding down for the night. Some people were very visible. Others were carefully tucked away, out of sight.
A street count is more than a number. It’s a snapshot of people’s lives at a single moment in time. Some of the people we saw were already known to services; others were not.
What struck me most was how invisible rough sleeping can be. You can walk the same streets every day and never notice someone bedding down at night. But they are there — and behind every count is a person with a story, not just a statistic.
It is genuinely heartbreaking to see someone lying alone on a cold floor while the rest of the city sleeps. Being out there brought home, very clearly, why the work of outreach teams — and places like Jimmy’s — matters so much.
At Jimmy’s, we see the other side of that night-time snapshot: people coming through our doors seeking warmth, safety and a chance to move forward. Street counts and services like Jimmy’s are part of the same picture — meeting people where they are, and supporting them towards somewhere safer.
How You Can Help
Homelessness doesn’t stop when the city sleeps — and neither does the need for support.
You can help by donating, volunteering, or simply learning more about homelessness in Cambridge. Every action, no matter how small, helps ensure that people don’t remain invisible, and that there is somewhere safe to turn when the night feels longest.
