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| Friends pay tribute to homeless woman killed by falling tree in Exeter | Friends pay tribute to homeless woman killed by falling tree in Exeter |
| (30 days later) | |
| A rough sleeper who was killed when a tree fell on her tent in Exeter, at the height of last week's storms has been named as 21-year-old Michelle Conroy. | A rough sleeper who was killed when a tree fell on her tent in Exeter, at the height of last week's storms has been named as 21-year-old Michelle Conroy. |
| Friends paid tribute to Conroy as a sweet and caring person who struggled to find a place in conventional, settled society. Some who work with homeless people said the tragedy highlighted the problem of an increasing number of people living in desperate circumstances. | Friends paid tribute to Conroy as a sweet and caring person who struggled to find a place in conventional, settled society. Some who work with homeless people said the tragedy highlighted the problem of an increasing number of people living in desperate circumstances. |
| Conroy was trapped when a spruce tree she was camping under near the city centre fell on to her tent just before midnight on Saturday as strong winds and driving rain swept across the south-west of England. She was freed and taken to hospital but could not be saved. Two men believed to have been in or near the tent were injured but released from hospital after treatment. | Conroy was trapped when a spruce tree she was camping under near the city centre fell on to her tent just before midnight on Saturday as strong winds and driving rain swept across the south-west of England. She was freed and taken to hospital but could not be saved. Two men believed to have been in or near the tent were injured but released from hospital after treatment. |
| There was a delay in identifying the woman as police traced her next of kin. They are understood to live away from the area and are due to travel to Exeter to formally identify her on Friday. Friends and those who worked with her are certain that the woman who died was Conroy. | There was a delay in identifying the woman as police traced her next of kin. They are understood to live away from the area and are due to travel to Exeter to formally identify her on Friday. Friends and those who worked with her are certain that the woman who died was Conroy. |
| The Rev Canon Anna Norman-Walker, a diocesan missioner at Exeter Cathedral, said Conroy was a regular visitor to a weekly Friday night cafe run by the church for homeless and vulnerably housed people. She said: "Michelle had been coming to us for over a year. She was a lovely, polite girl, always well turned out with her hair brushed back in a ponytail. You wouldn't know she was homeless if you bumped into her." | The Rev Canon Anna Norman-Walker, a diocesan missioner at Exeter Cathedral, said Conroy was a regular visitor to a weekly Friday night cafe run by the church for homeless and vulnerably housed people. She said: "Michelle had been coming to us for over a year. She was a lovely, polite girl, always well turned out with her hair brushed back in a ponytail. You wouldn't know she was homeless if you bumped into her." |
| She said many of the cafe's clients had addiction problems or mental health issues. Conroy had neither and had never been seen drinking anything but soft drinks. "We called her the orange squash girl," she said. "She may have had issues with things like isolation. She was not able to get a foothold on the social ladder. She was a lonely soul who simply couldn't sustain an independent life." | She said many of the cafe's clients had addiction problems or mental health issues. Conroy had neither and had never been seen drinking anything but soft drinks. "We called her the orange squash girl," she said. "She may have had issues with things like isolation. She was not able to get a foothold on the social ladder. She was a lonely soul who simply couldn't sustain an independent life." |
| Norman-Walker said she understood that Conroy had spent much of her childhood in foster care. In recent years Conroy had spent time "sofa surfing" at friends' houses and living in her tent. She had probably been camping beneath the spruce tree because it was a well-hidden spot. "The street community were her family, friends and support network," Norman-Walker said. | Norman-Walker said she understood that Conroy had spent much of her childhood in foster care. In recent years Conroy had spent time "sofa surfing" at friends' houses and living in her tent. She had probably been camping beneath the spruce tree because it was a well-hidden spot. "The street community were her family, friends and support network," Norman-Walker said. |
| Exeter has no overnight drop-in hostel where people can turn up casually and seek shelter. There are two hostels, but clients have to register and be in at a certain time, which does not suit all. | Exeter has no overnight drop-in hostel where people can turn up casually and seek shelter. There are two hostels, but clients have to register and be in at a certain time, which does not suit all. |
| The charity St Petrock's opens its doors for rough sleepers when temperatures go below freezing – it is inviting people in on Thursday night because cold weather has hit the west country. It said about 40 people were sleeping rough in Exeter, and it had seen an increasing number of young women. | The charity St Petrock's opens its doors for rough sleepers when temperatures go below freezing – it is inviting people in on Thursday night because cold weather has hit the west country. It said about 40 people were sleeping rough in Exeter, and it had seen an increasing number of young women. |
| Ben Bradshaw, the Labour MP for Exeter, has claimed that the amount of money given by central government to Devon to support homelessness was reduced by 12% and was not ringfenced, meaning the county council could spend the money as it wished. | Ben Bradshaw, the Labour MP for Exeter, has claimed that the amount of money given by central government to Devon to support homelessness was reduced by 12% and was not ringfenced, meaning the county council could spend the money as it wished. |
| Friends paid tribute to Conroy in the Exeter Express and Echo. Rachael Smith, who said she was in foster care with Conroy when they were about 14, described her as "such a caring, lovely person", adding: "If you had any problems, you could talk to her, she was so sweet. She didn't do drugs or alcohol – she wasn't that sort of person. I don't know why it happened to her. It's absolutely devastating." | Friends paid tribute to Conroy in the Exeter Express and Echo. Rachael Smith, who said she was in foster care with Conroy when they were about 14, described her as "such a caring, lovely person", adding: "If you had any problems, you could talk to her, she was so sweet. She didn't do drugs or alcohol – she wasn't that sort of person. I don't know why it happened to her. It's absolutely devastating." |
| It is understood that Conroy had stayed in a hostel for a while but chose to leave. It is also believed that a few days before the tragedy Conroy and those she was camping with had been advised that the spot was not safe, but decided to stay. | It is understood that Conroy had stayed in a hostel for a while but chose to leave. It is also believed that a few days before the tragedy Conroy and those she was camping with had been advised that the spot was not safe, but decided to stay. |
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