Christmas is a time for gathering with family and friends at home. But for those without a roof over their heads or living in temporary accommodation, life can seem bleaker than ever. In a series starting today Matthew Taylor looks at the issue of homelessness.

Tomorrow: Bermuda's street people.

They sleep in bus shelters, grave yards, in parked cars and on the beach.

They are all around us but remain somehow invisible. But for Fern Wade the homeless are her life's work.

She has just completed a census on those living rough. She has spent 20 years working with the homeless and fears the problem is on the increase.

She says: "There are 12 in cars, four down on the beach at Horseshoe Bay, ten in trees -- some around the Parson's Road areas.'' She counted 65 living just in the Warwick and Pembroke areas -- those she knows from making her daily rounds dispensing food and care.

But she knows there are many more -- unreachable even to her -- who live double lives, sneaking out of their makeshift camps in the early hours to avoid the shame of being seen and returning only when it is dark.

Sitting in her tiny Hands of Love Mission building in Southampton, from which she and her volunteers dispense food and clothing for the Island's homeless, Mrs. Wade continues her breakdown of where her regulars stay.

She says: "There are 15 in tents in the Spice Hill area and in Pembroke and Devonshire.

"Around 20 are in bus shelters. Abandoned buildings are another site. And boats make a place to stay.

Homelessness is `getting worse' "It's getting worse -- it's just like the rest of the world but on a smaller scale. We are seeing a large increase, I was surprised.'' Living outdoors exposes people to extra danger.

"You can get killed, stabbed,'' she says. "There is a guy who comes to us but every time we give him something new it is stolen by other homeless people.'' Derelict homes are at a premium in the hunt for shelter which can lead to territorial disputes.

"We have a lot of fighting, stealing of clothes from each other.'' This can mean added danger for the itinerant female.

"The women can't fight off the men. The women can get raped. A number of them get robbed. They have to move more often.'' "But when you are living rough you have your house on your back.'' Rain and cold weather brings new problems.

"People in tents head for abandoned houses and bus shelters. We give out a lot more clothing so they have three or four layers to keep them warm.'' It's taken from the collected clobber piled to the Mission's ceiling which just leaves enough room for a narrow walkway to her chair and desk.

Blankets and suitcases, light stands and teddy bears -- the simple things which can get somebody off to a good start when they do find a home.

"Mostly they come here for food. You know when they are genuine. They come in depressed or crying.

"I got a call today from two ladies who are being evicted on Friday -- they have already fallen behind with the rent once and have to move before they do it twice.

"I pray and advise them to contact their family but they say it is packed back home as well.

"Then they try the housing department for emergency housing but their chances are slim.

"I have had three cases this week of single mothers who have to move out.'' But some men opt for the nomadic lifestyle.

She puts it bluntly: "Habit is more important than habitation. They have a dependency on drugs and alcohol.'' But she is quick to point out many homeless people are far from being the feckless layabouts which guilty minds might want to portray them as.

"Some even hold down jobs while living in the open. I had a family living with me for eight months. We found them in a car in Hamilton -- a husband and wife with three children.

"The children would clean themselves in a public toilet and the mother would bring back snacks for lunch. The husband was working for the Government in Public Works.

"A lot of people are very proud -- they suffer silently. We were aware someone might be sleeping there because the car was covered with sheets in the window.

"We chased this guy all over -- when we saw the family it was devastating.

"We were talking about an emergency -- not about filling out an form. If you are in the snow and you are naked it's not about saying `God Bless You' but actually helping you.

"I would say there are about 50 families sleeping rough. I want to know -- does the Government have this on the front burner?'' Housing Minister Nelson Bascome vehemently denies families are being forced to sleep rough. In Thursday's paper he gives his response.

Mrs. Wade continues: "If we don't get a grip on it we will end up with a tents all over the island on everybody's property.'' And she said Mr. Bascome's plan to get derelict houses back into use was a step in the direction but needed to be stepped up.

She joked: "It's the largest room in the world -- room for improvement. We could probably get a 100 guys in that room.'' "I would say there are ten to 15 abandoned houses in each parish. It's a lot when space is so limited.'' The reasons for homelessness are many but the solutions are far fewer.

"Not everybody has the means to keep up, they are unemployed or they are single parents and they can't afford housing,'' says Mrs. Wade.

"It can start when you lose your job -- the apartments in the $800 to $900 a month category are few and far between.

"People are paying between $1,200 and $1,800 a month but only getting $1,600 in salary.

"Social services pay half but still can't afford to pay those high rents if they have kids to look after -- sometimes they can't pay for the lights or food.

"I have seen two cases of that this week.

"This affects the children -- they aren't malnourished because their mother will get help from the rest of the family but I have seen those empty cupboards. Hands of Love helps out with paying for food and electricity.

"We need more emergency housing -- an emergency complex. And we need more housing for single people, not just two bed accommodation for families.'' Trailer homes are a possible solution, while house boats are another possible cure when land is at a premium.

"We have plenty of water -- it's the next best thing when you run out of space. Why not use the water like in China? "It can get crowded at home and young people want their own space to move out and live a comfortable life on their own.

"Twenty years ago that was fine but now the cost of living is so high it's a struggle.

"You find yourself making it for a year and then something happens and you find you can't make it any more.

"The logical thing would be to move back home.

"Everybody wants to buy a car and you have to move out to get the assessment number -- that's where the problems start.

"It's not the availability of the housing, it's the affordability.

"Bermuda is just too expensive. In the last five to ten years you have seen prices skyrocket -- if you can afford it fine, if not that's tough.

"It's not just a problem with landlords -- they have to meet the high mortgages the banks impose.

They cannot say to the bank my tenant is late with the payment, can you give me another few days? "The landlord pressures the tenant because the bank is pressuring the landlord. It's not about bad people, it's about bad conditions.

"We are all only one pay cheque away from being homeless -- I don't care who you are.'' Photos by Tony Cordeiro Helping hands: Fern Wade with items donated for the homeless at her Hands of Love Mission in Southampton.