Churches join forces for new winter shelter in Birmingham

Five churches in Birmingham are teaming up to support a new winter shelter.

The shelter will open on 2 February for one month by Birmingham Diocese and Thrive Together Birmingham team with support from Housing Justice and the Birmingham Christian Homeless Forum.

Its launch coincides with Poverty and Homelessness Action Week, which got underway on Saturday.

The shelter will provide basic accommodation to homeless people who would otherwise be sleeping rough.

The shelter will be based in church halls in Newtown, Ladywood, Birchfield, Weoley Castle and Quinton.

If the pilot project is successful, more churches will be sought to help roll it out over a longer period next winter.

Although the city council has previously claimed that there are only a handful of homeless people in Birmingham, local churches and agencies involved in homelessness services say there is a lot of "hidden need" in the city, with many rough sleepers finding shelter away from the public gaze in underground carparks and disused buildings.

People wanting to access the new shelter can do so via the Helpdesk team at St Martins in the Bullring.

They will also be helped in finding suitable accommodation to move on to after the shelter has closed.

Dr Graham Stubbs, of St Martins in the Bullring said: “This will give people who sometimes struggle to access other accommodation a valuable safety net.”

Housing Justice has created a "Shelter in a Pack" resource for churches thinking about opening a homeless shelter in their buildings.

At a time of cuts to public services and benefits, organisers of the Birmingham winter shelter are encouraging other churches to open their doors and provide help and hospitality to those in need.

Sarah Turner, of Thrive commented: “The level of response from churches wanting to support this project has been extraordinary and we have volunteers from a range of different denominations offering their time. It is amazing to see the church, in all its diversity, come together to help those in need.”

Paul Reily, of Housing Justice added: “What is so exciting about this project, when many fear for the disintegration of society, is the way in which the Christian faith community and others have come together to work to help those who are at the margins.

"This collaboration is what will form the foundation of so much healthy regeneration in the future and is but a part of what is happening nationally”