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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Connor Lynch

Candle light human chain to form around Belfast City Hall in call for support for homeless community

A special candle light vigil will be held at Belfast City Hall tonight in a call for support for those dealing with addiction and homelessness.

The People's Kitchen are asking people to join them at 10pm tonight at City Hall where a candle light human chain will form around the building as it calls for more resources and support to address a number of issues in the city centre over the past few months.

SDLP councillor Paul McCusker, of The People's Kitchen, told Belfast Live that the event will highlight the issues that have led to a number of deaths in the city centre over the past few months, which include substance abuse and addiction, mental health and homelessness.

Read more: Calls for overdose prevention facilities after Belfast deaths

He said: "We will be holding a candle light vigil and human chain at City Hall tonight and are calling for people to join us in support as we call for more resources to tackle the issues that are affecting people in the city centre.

"Over the past few months we have seen a number of deaths which are related to addiction, mental health and homelessness and more needs to be done to address this.

"We are in need of more beds for high risk and vulnerable people, overdose prevention facilities and dual diagnosis services need to become available so no one else will be at risk of harm.

"Over the course of this weekend we have seen further overdoses in the city centre but we are seeing little to no response to reverse this situation.

"We would also like to call on the Health, Communities and Justice Ministers to join us on the streets of Belfast to see the situation for themselves and understand the urgency that is needed to make sure that people are safe within our city."

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