The UK's first multi faith homeless shelter started in Leicester on Monday with more 200 volunteers from six different faith groups taking part.
One Roof Leicester (ORL) will move around different faith venues over the next 11 weeks as it provides food and emergency accommodation for ten rough sleepers each night. Thought to be the first of its kind in the country, the shelter brings together Anglican, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh groups across the area.
Manager Salma Ravat told Christian Today the support had been "overwhelming" from all the different faiths.
"We have seen a rise in the number of rough sleepers in Leicester and we thought this was a great way for everyone to take responsibility.
"Where traditionally it has been done by a couple of faith groups, mainly churches, we thought let us see if we can inspire the wider faith community to take part and be involved."
She added: "We are really excited about offering this extra provision."
The said the cross-faith initiative had "sparked something in everyone".
She said the benefits were felt not just by the ten guests who had somewhere warm to sleep but also by the volunteers. "The wider ramifications of this are building community, building trust with faith groups working together.
"You can see the benefits for the guests but in terms of all the people involved, everyone gets so much out of this experience."
The project is funded by the charity Human Appeal as well as the Christian charity Housing Justice and the Church of England's interfaith Near Neighbours project.
Hate crime spiked after the UK's vote to leave the European Union, particularly against minority faith groups.
But Ravat said the homeless shelter would help to combat tensions.
"Any positive action that communities do together that helps to build relationships also helps us to understand each other," she told Christian Today.
"People are going out and not necessarily volunteering with their own faith group," she said, adding ORL encouraged people from one religion to volunteer when the shelter was at another venue to help promote good relations.
The Reverend Helen Hayes, a priest working with the homeless and chair of ORL, said: "I am so proud of what the One Roof team have achieved with the countries first multi faith night shelter. It has been such a privilege to see the seeds of an idea grow into a remarkable project that seeks to bring faith groups together to provide shelter and care for people who are homeless."
