Rough sleepers will be able to access a safe place to stay and
vital support to help turn their lives around as £3.3 million in
government funding has been allocated today to 26 night shelters
across England.
Night Shelters offer a vital route off the streets and the
funding can be used to provide specialist staff, drug or alcohol
advice and financial help.
The Dover Outreach Centre received over £150,000 to refurbish its
night shelter and enable it to operate during its first year.
Gary Harland, 49, came to the centre following a prison sentence
and was struggling with alcohol dependency and very poor mental
health. He stayed at the night shelter through last winter and is
now living nearby, back in his hometown of Deal thanks the
Outreach Centre.
Staff at the centre continue to support him and have helped him
remain in his home. Gary has now reconnected with his son who he
had been separated from for several years.
Gary said: “I was totally lost since coming out of jail and it
has been a long road to recovery but the outreach centre took me
off the streets and saved my life really.
“I was born and bred in Deal and I now have a place in my
hometown where I also get to see my son again. My support workers
are still there for me providing after care helping me out with
paperwork and keeping me on the right path. I cannot thank them
enough.”
Today’s announcement builds on the £9.88 million given in the
first-round of the Night Shelter Transformation Fund in August
2022 which funded 56 organisations over three years, targeting
areas most in need.
Minister for Housing and Homelessness, said:
“Night shelters provide a vital safety net for rough sleepers to
help them get off the streets and turn their lives around. I am
pleased our funding is making such a difference to the lives of
people like Gary, which is thanks to the life-changing work of
the Dover Outreach Centre and all our partner organisations up
and down the country.”
The Night Shelter Transformation Fund is part of government’s
commitment to end rough sleeping for good. The Rough Sleeping
Initiative 2022-25 is investing over £530m in funding to local
authorities across England from April 2022 to March 2025. This
includes an additional investment of £34.6m announced in
September 2023, to increase funding of rough sleeping services in
local areas with the greatest need.
