The volunteer run night shelter next to Northampton station is helping to reduce homelessness, according to a statement from the Guildhall.
People who use it have to agree to access support services that will help to get them off the streets for good.
And so far 44 men have been taken off the homeless list thanks to the work going on there.
The statement said:
So far 44 men who had been sleeping rough or facing homelessness in Northampton are now living in stable accommodation after staying at Northampton’s night shelter.
In the six months since the emergency night shelter opened, 93 men have spent at least one night at the shelter and almost half of them have since moved into alternative accommodation. A further 5 men have been helped to reconnect with their home towns and find support in their local area.
The service offers temporary accommodation to people sleeping rough but it also provides access to support services that help people to address issues which can contribute towards homelessness such as unemployment, mental health issues and addiction.
Councillor Stephen Hibbert, cabinet member for housing and wellbeing at Northampton Borough Council, said: “What’s clear is that the night shelter is working as we always hoped it would. When people come to stay they get much more than a bed for the night because we insist that people engage with the range of services available here in Northampton.
“The night shelter was the first objective of the together we change lives strategy and we’re forging ahead with work to deliver the other plans to ensure that no one in Northampton needs to sleep rough.”
The night shelter is run predominantly by local volunteers and the borough council is keen to recruit more people for the overnight shifts.
Councillor Hibbert added: “I can’t thank enough the volunteers who make this success possible. We have a fantastic team of individuals who are here every night making sure that the doors can stay open, but we need to keep growing that team to make sure we can keep up the good work.”
Visit www.northampton.gov.uk/northamptonnightshelter for more information on how you can get involved or support the shelter.
