A SCHEME to reduce the numbers of homeless on the streets of Oxford has been welcomed as a major success.

In 2018 emergency night shelter accommodation for homeless men and women was made available for January, February and March.

Rough sleeping increased in the city in 2017, leading to local council and homelessness agencies uniting tackle the problem.

City centre churches which offered accommodation were St Aldate’s, St Alban’s, St Clement’s, St Columba’s, St Ebbe’s, St Michael at the North Gate and Wesley Memorial.

Rev Mary Gurr, Oxford Diocese homelessness chaplain, said: “About 10 people every night have been looked after, so as far as I’m concerned the scheme has been a great success – that’s 10 fewer people sleeping rough every night.

“The weather has been very cold during this period – it’s quite possible the help from our scheme has helped to save lives.

“Of course the churches and 200 volunteers are not the only ones out there helping the homeless but I think we have made an important contribution.

“There has been no trouble – no ghastly outbreaks of violence – everything has gone very smoothly and although it wasn’t quite bed and breakfast it was somewhere warm to stay.”

Rev Gurr said city centre churches have been providing their halls or basements as a place to stay.

She added that the volunteer-run scheme would conclude on March 31, even though other homeless agencies had hoped it might continue for longer.

The reverend said a review would take place at the end of March and it was possible the scheme could return before the end of the year.

She said: “It’s been a steep learning curve but it’s a credit to everyone involved that things have gone smoothly.”

Nearly 200 volunteers and a bunch of trustees have been doing a fantastic job and donors have been extremely generous to support the scheme.”

In November statistics released to the Oxford Mail showed only 22 of 80 rough sleepers surveyed in the city in August were in accommodation by October.

An anonymous survey conducted by Green councillors on March 10 found that out of 20 rough sleepers in Oxford 15 claimed to have been on the streets for two years or more.

Rev Gurr said the city council’s Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) for rough sleepers has also made an important contribution during the cold spell.

The SWEP protocol means the council and homelessness organisations make extra bed spaces for rough sleepers when the overnight temperature is forecast to be below zero on three or more consecutive nights.

Bob Earl, 69, church warden at St Michael at the North Gate, was one of the volunteers.

He said: “The churches have been taking turns each night so the winter night shelter can run seven days a week.”