Worksop's only 24-hour homeless shelter delivers new severe weather initiative

The homeless shelter and community outreach programme is delivering an initative on Bassetlaw District Council’s behalf this winter to ensure no one is sleeping out in severe weather conditions.

Hope Community Services is Nottinghamshire’s only 24/7, direct access, emergency accommodation hostel which has 14 individual bedrooms for people in crisis.

This winter Hope will be delivering and managing Severe Weather Emergency Protocol and Lucy Binch, chief executive officer at Hope Community Services, said: “It is good practice for all local authorities to have a Severe Weather Emergency Provision in place for the winter months to ensure that no one is left sleeping rough in periods of extreme cold weather.

“The aim of the provision is to provide a warm and safe environment for rough sleepers during the winter period when temperatures are at their lowest.”

From 9pm until 7am every night, from December 1 to March 31 2020, Hope will be providing rough sleepers with a warm and safe space to sleep, eat, get a hot drink, shower and wash/dry their clothes.

Lucy Binch added: “As a charity which believes in allowing individuals to develop their true potential, we provide support and counselling for each resident, designed to help them deal with the complex and often interlinked issues that have caused them to be in crisis.

“We focus on enabling the individual to develop the skills necessary to live independently, alongside tackling their own specific issues and challenges - for example, alcohol, substance misuse or mental ill-health.

“Donations enable us to be able to provide this one to one support to individuals who are in need.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Bassetlaw District Council to provide this crucial, and potentially lifesaving, service to rough sleepers this winter.”