News Release 19.06.09
Church-run night shelters save more that 1,400 people from sleeping rough
National conference celebrates achievements of church shelters in 08/09 winter and plans further responses to homelessness
At a conference, Responding to homelessness: the churches’ role, held in London on Thursday 18th June, Housing Justice announced the figures for people helped by church-run winter shelters between December 2008 and March 2009.
• More than 1,400 people slept in 15 shelters in Greater London over the winter period.
• The shelters were run by more than 5,000 volunteers from church congregations and local communities.
• 250 bed spaces were provided every night
• If the church shelters were commissioned the overall cost would be at least £1m
Sally Leigh, Housing Justice London Coordinator and volunteer at Finchley Churches shelter commented:
“The church winter shelters are an example of a healthy community response to the needs of the most vulnerable in our society. We are pleased that this movement is growing, with shelters in Brent and Kingston opening last winter for the first time, and new ones in Haringey and the City of London at the planning stage for next winter”
The winter shelters’ announcement and the conference both focus attention on the vital contribution churches have to make if the government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy, No One Left Out, is to achieve the target of ending rough sleeping by 2012.
Michelle Binfield, Specialist Homelessness Advisor at Communities and Local Government Department, addressing the conference, said:
“Churches and faith groups already work with great commitment to give a helping hand to vulnerable people and this is something to celebrate. The challenge for all of us today is this: How can churches play an effective part in a joined up strategy at the local level to end the need for people to sleep on the street for the long-term? The Government's rough sleeping strategy No One Left Out - communities ending rough sleeping signals our desire to work collaboratively with faith and church groups to enable this to happen.”
Rt Reverend James Langstaff, Chair of Housing Justice and Bishop of Lynn, said:
“You don’t have to be Christian to be on the side of the vulnerable, but if you are Christian you have no choice – it’s part of the person specification. We’ve been doing this kind of work in various guises for centuries and that will continue. Christians are motivated and inspired by a vision of love which is given unconditionally, and that means we cannot walk away.”
Delegates at the conference had the opportunity to attend workshops about street homelessness, ‘coming inside’ and transforming society. Short seminars were also offered by 20 organisations involved in action on housing and homelessness.
Contact: Alison Gelder 078 2794 7019, a.gelder@housingjustice.org.uk
Or Sally Leigh 078 2794 7017 s.leigh@housingjustice.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
Total number of individuals accommodated in the church winter shelters 08/09
Brent - Route 18 |
49 |
Camden - C4WS |
90 |
Croydon - Croydon Churches Floating Shelter |
148 |
Finchley - Finchley Churches Winter Shelter |
23 |
Hillingdon |
20 |
Hackney - HWNS |
165 |
Ilford - Redbridge Night Shelter |
226 |
Islington - CARIS Islington |
139 |
Kingston - KCAH |
25 |
Lambeth & Lewisham - Deptford 999 club |
49 |
Newham - Newham Turnaround Shelter |
74 |
Robes |
49 |
Walthamstow |
160 |
West London Churches |
160 |
Wycombe winter night shelter |
48 |
Total |
1425 |
The Housing Justice National Conference Responding to homelessness: the churches’ role took place at St Paul's, Robert Adam Street London W1U 3HW. Over 100 delegates attended the event, representing more than 70 different organisations, including the following organisations which gave short seminars:
Chapter 1 (formerly CAHA), Choir with no Name, Christian Care Centre, Just Homes, Green Pastures, Heythrop College, Action Research in Church and Society, Homeless Link, Hope Worldwide, Inclusive Health Project, Catholic Worker, London Jesus Centre, Nightwatch, Olallo Project, Open House Film Club, Praxis, Simon Community, The Pavement, Trinity Homeless Projects, Upper Room/UR4Jobs, York University Centre for Housing Policy, and Zacchaeus 2000
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing.
Housing Justice was formed in April 2003 by the merger of two long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC). In January 2006 Housing Justice merged with UNLEASH (Church Action on Homelessness in London).
Housing Justice brings together more than 60 years experience of working for change in the field of housing.
Housing Justice supports frontline services to people in housing need and campaigns to improve housing policy.
In total Housing Justice is actively involved in more than 35 communities across England and Wales.
Housing Justice works to support church-based housing and homelessness projects in London. It is responsible for coordinating the Soup Run Forum amongst other activities.
Housing Justice is working with Scottish Churches Housing Action and Church Action on Poverty to coordinate Poverty and Homelessness Action Week 31 January – 8 February 2009 - a week long series of events to highlight the problems of poverty and homelessness in Britain today.
Housing Justice works with, and for, homeless and badly housed people of all faiths, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of religious beliefs.