Keep the night shelter open

Why this appeal

The shelter opened in 2019 as a six-week pilot with twelve camp beds in a church hall. It now runs five months a year with eighteen proper beds, two staff overnight and a caseworker attached, because a bed on its own does not change anything by March.

Local authority funding covered 62% of last winter. This year it covers 39%. Nothing about the need has changed — only the funding.

What the money does

Roughly two thirds is staffing. It is a legal requirement to have two awake staff overnight and it is the single thing that makes the shelter safe enough for people to actually sleep.

What happens if we fall short

We open in November regardless and close early. Last time that happened it was the third week of February, which is the coldest fortnight of the year in this city.