Churches open homeless shelter

3:12pm Monday 7th January 2008

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A HOMELESS shelter run by High Wycombe's churches is due to open tonight offering a bed to those with nowhere to go during the coldest months of the year.

The Wycombe Winter Night Shelter will run every day until March 31, one night per week at seven different town centre churches.

The shelter can accommodate up to 12 guests per night for an evening meal, a bed overnight and breakfast, with each person also to stay for up to 28 days.

Ali Preston, project coordinator, said: "It's necessary because there are people out there in desperate need. I have spoken to one man who has been sleeping rough for four months and was recently beaten up. There are homeless people vulnerable to the cold and to attacks.

"A lot of people have not become homeless out of their own fault, but because they have lost a job and cannot pay their rent or a relationship has broken down."

Almost 250 people have volunteered for the shelter, from offering to cook meals to giving up time to sleep overnight. While most are drawn from the church congregations, there are also volunteers from other faiths and people who are not religious.

Mrs Preston added: "At the moment I have three definite bookings plus a few maybes, but I think it's something that will start slowly and quickly pick up until we have a waiting list. All guests are being referred, and the response from the Thames Valley Police and Probation Service, the Old Tea Warehouse, Wycombe Mind, Wycombe District Council has been incredible.

"Our ideal dream is that over the next three months people's lives can be transformed, not only be giving them a place of shelter, a hot meal, warmth and friendship, but by helping them to turn things around for the future."

Anyone interested in attending the night shelter as a guest should go to Wycombe District Council reception desk to fill out a brief application form and speak to a homelessness officer.