Greater Manchester Winter Night Shelter Expands

Greater Manchester Winter Night Shelter will offer 24-hour care to homeless guests including an evening meal, bed and breakfast, and advice and support during the day at the Booth Centre in the city.

The shelter is run as a partnership between Greater Together Manchester, a joint venture between Church Urban Fund and Manchester Diocese and other organisations including the Christian homelessness charity Housing Justice.

The expansion comes after the number of people counted as rough sleepers on one night in Manchester rose to 70 last year compared to seven in 2010.

Lily Axworthy, Development Officer for Greater Together Manchester, said the night shelter was responding to a ‘crisis situation’ in rough sleeping in the city.

She said: “The night shelters are more than just somewhere to sleep, they are about hospitality and service.  Homeless people are welcome as guests, and all, including volunteers, sit down for an evening meal together.

“As part of the trial earlier this year, guests staying in the shelters were offered 24 hour wrap around care with support from the Booth Centre during the day in the form of help in job searching and finding long-term accommodation. We will be offering this service again this winter.”

Across the country, night shelters supported by Church Urban Fund are to increase their provision to nearly 4,000 bed spaces this winter in response to a growing problem of homelessness. More than 800 volunteers are set to work in Manchester, Salford, Birmingham, Mansfield and Great Yarmouth night shelters backed by joint ventures between CUF and Church of England dioceses.

Click below to listen to Premier’s Northern Correspondent Ian Britton reporting from Manchester.

Picture Credit: James White Photography