Churches offer beds for city’s homeless this Christmas

Two Nottingham churches are taking practical action to help the homeless this winter with the opening of a night shelter which will run from Christmas Eve to mid February – during the coldest weeks of the year.

The Nottingham Night Shelter, which is a temporary shelter, organised in partnership with Emmanuel House and Thomas Helwys Baptist Church, is expanding its resources this year to work with St Saviour’s in the Meadows, enabling it to keep homeless people out of the cold for an even longer period than before.

The Winter Shelter is a collaboration between faith-based groups across the city and the voluntary homelessness sector.

Pioneer Missioner and Priest-in-Charge at Saviour's in the Meadows, the Revd Dave Hammond said: “Winter Shelter is a fantastic project with a great track record of helping those in our society who have fallen and are struggling to get back up. St Saviour's is a community of people who care about the poorest in our society and we are privileged to have halls and rooms for community use. The hearts and minds of both groups easily fit together and at Saviour's it provides us with something of a catalyst to begin using our buildings for the good of the community and beyond.”

The night shelter will be opening its doors on Christmas Eve and running for twenty-seven nights at Thomas Helwys Baptist Church in Lenton. The shelter will then move to St Saviour’s in the Meadows for a further period of up to twenty-seven nights.

The Winter Shelter will be open to anyone who is over 18; with or without support needs, and regardless of whether they have recourse to public funds. It will offer a bed, supper, breakfast, and support for up to eighteen individuals. 

Night Shelter co-ordinator, Alastair Paylor, said volunteers are urgently needed to help staff the shelters over this period. Anyone wishing to volunteer or become a casual Project Worker, or simply wanting more information should get in contact with us on 07970605511 or by emailing nottinghamwintershelter@yahoo.co.uk  

Dave Hammond hopes St Saviour’s new initiative with the shelter will help them build on their work in the local community. He said the church hoped to take on a Community Entrepreneur; to encourage the community to make use of the church buildings for events and services for the good of the Meadows, whilst also lowering their carbon footprint.  He said: “The Meadows has a reputation which is rarely deserved, whilst serving our community, we want to be a part of showing the good that there is in this wonderful community and that we have a lot to offer the city.”  

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