A CHARITY that supports homeless people has launched a £12,000 campaign.
Framework is calling for public help to keep a phone line open 24 hours a day.
It is used by homeless people in desperate need of help and by people who want to report rough sleeping
The organisation receives an average of seven phone calls a day, but it can rise as high as 25 a day.
Jason Marriott, leader of Framework's street outreach team, said that the phone line had played an important role in bringing down the number of people sleeping rough in Nottingham, when nationally the numbers were rising.
He said: "It is vital that this hotline is kept open 24 hours a day. After all, sleeping rough is not a nine-to-five problem.
"Nottingham is a big city. We need to get out to people, and the quicker the better.
"The phone line allows those who are rough sleeping to stay in touch with us when they move on.
"It's free to call from any phone box at any time. It's very rewarding to work for the phone line. It's really good when you see people get back on track."
Framework estimates that dealing with a call costs about £5 and it hopes to raise a further £12,000 to fund the work.
Nottingham has a 'no second night out pledge' in place which means that no individual arriving on the streets for the first time will spend a second night sleeping rough.
Founder of the Nottingham street pastor service Jo Cox-Brown said that the phone line was needed so that help was available all the time.
"If the number was not there I think a lot of people would find themselves powerless to help.
"Above all this is more than a phone line. It is a lifeline that I believe everybody should support."
Joshua, 18, is one of the people to have benefited by using the number. He said he was sleeping rough after his mother kicked him out.
"When I called Framework's hotline they were fantastic," he said. "A guy came down straight away and met me within 20 minutes."
He said that he didn't think he would find himself sleeping rough and it was a huge shock.
"As it turned out that was probably the most important call I have ever made," he added.
To make a donation go to www.frameworkha.org.