Record demand at Northampton night shelter despite expansion

A winter night shelter said it was facing its highest pressure in years despite moving to a bigger venue to cope with demand.

Northampton Hope Centre moved its shelter from its office space to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, to provide more beds for people sleeping rough.

The new venue has enough space for up to 45 beds, but by the end of next week, the charity expects up to 75 people to come seeking help each day.

Joanne Pritchard, the charity’s chief executive, said it was “sad” that people could be turned away if the shelter reached full capacity.

The Hope Centre expanded the service, which is jointly funded by West Northamptonshire Council, after the previous space could no longer meet growing demand.

There is a separate 27-bed facility at St John’s House in Northampton.

Night shelter guests can also use the charity’s day centre at Oasis House, where they can access hot meals, showers and support.

Pritchard said more people were seeking help due to the cost of living crisis, unaffordable housing and increased pressures on mental health.

Twenty-four people were already using the night shelter, she said.

“We’re still not going to accommodate everybody. The staff here are working long hours and it’s a hard job to do when you’re dealing with 75 people who are in crisis and you’ve got no answers for them at the moment.”

Damian Hadlow, who uses both the night shelter and day centre, said the charity had kept him “off the streets” and was supporting him to secure long-term housing.

“If I didn’t have the night shelter, I really don’t know where I’d be without it,” he said.

“I know my health would have got a whole lot worse than it is if I stayed out there [on the streets], but since I’ve got into the shelter, my health’s becoming a lot better, my mental health as well.

“I just love coming to this place.”

The 25-year-old said the charity’s services had helped him build confidence and improve his mental health.

“It’s helping a lot with my anxiety; meeting new people, meeting new staff, and it’s helping me to communicate with a lot more other people outside of this place,” he explained.

“It’s taken a lot of pressure from [my] depression as well.”

According to the charity, more women have relied on its services this year – up 15% year-on-year and more younger people are also seeking help.

Sean Tracey, the charity’s case worker, said social pressures were putting more people into crisis.

“Drug use has probably escalated and continues to escalate,” he said.

“People can easily fall out with families and wind up on the street, and over the winter months this [church] is somewhere where people can be safe; they can be warm.”

The charity’s aim was to help people move into permanent housing by the end of the winter period, Tracey explained.

“It’s a basic for people that they have a place they can call home,” he said.

Despite struggling to meet demand, Damon Boughen, head of grants and trusts, said the charity was “really grateful” to have space for more than 40 people at the church.

“The fact we have this bigger space and we can offer somebody some dignity back in their life – and they can have a warm place to sleep at night – means a whole world of difference to us,” said Boughen.

The winter night shelter will continue to operate until March.