Depending on ones point of view and tradition, Christmas is either over, as Jane Garvey and Julia Hobsbawm (I borrowed this photo from Julia) were discussing on twitter, having already taken down their Christmas decorations, has 3 days more to run until the 12th night of Christmas or in the case of people with a very traditional Church based approach has precisely one calendar month to run until the feast of Candlemas. However on Christmas Eve someone spotted Easter Eggs for sale at one major food retailer (Marks and Spencer) so clearly it is hard to get the timing exactly right. Nevertheless as the Prime Minister stated on 21st December on a visit to the Thames Reach Employment Academy: “In the run up to Christmas, images of soup kitchens and hostels remind us of the vital lifeline provided by charities and local services to those facing a night on the streets.” and sadly although the festive elements of the holidays are over or ebbing away, the fact is that the demand on homelessness  services has not yet peaked as the weather is yet to hit the lowest temperatures. In terms of the Sussex coast, the low points are forecast to hit us on the few days commencing Thursday 12th January. It is vital that we don’t assume that because the holidays have ended and for most people, work is underway, that such issues can be forgotten. Perhaps more important than us being alert to the issue, we need to ensure that our Government does not overlook these issues as it begins the 12 week approach to enacting Article 50.