CHURCHES across Oxford will help to give rough sleepers in the city the shelter they need for the third year running.
Twelve churches will host the Oxford Winter Night Shelter from January to March, with its services running alongside those provided by the city council and other homelessness agencies.
Mary Gurr, Oxford’s chaplain to the homeless, said she was pleased that 12 churches and their volunteers were taking part again.
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They are St Columba’s, St Michael at the North Gate, Greyfriars, St Ebbe’s, the Christian Life Centre, St Albans, Jericho Community Centre (St Barnabas), St Clement’s, St Aldate’s, Wesley Memorial, New Road Baptist and St Matthews.
Rev Gurr said: “We will again be offering 20 beds each night from January 1 to March 31, 2020.
“There will be 12 venues as there were last year.
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“From Monday to Friday there will be additional provision for OWNS guests only, at The Gatehouse from 8am to 10am where they can have shelter, a hot drink and access the shower.
“We are still looking for volunteers and they can do as little or as much as they want.
“They can sign up via our website ownsoxford.org.uk.”
Rev Gurr appealed for volunteers for the OWNS after a Christmas Match Fund, backed by the Oxford Mail, was launched for Oxford Homeless Movement.
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The movement is a partnership of many different organisations working to ensure that no one has to sleep rough on the streets.
The match fund is hoping to raise £150,000 for charities helping rough sleepers and to deliver new services reducing homelessness.
Between Sunday, December 1 and Monday, January 6 Oxfordshire Community Foundation is pledging to match any donation to Oxford Homeless Movement through the match fund.
Rev Gurr said: “The Christmas Match Fund is an excellent initiative and I would urge people to make a donation - the money can be spread throughout the agencies that deal with homelessness.”
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The chaplain added that the winter night shelter has proved successful in previous years.
She said: “There were 55 people who used the service last year and we have been told by the charity St Mungo’s that at the end of the three months more than half of the people who had accessed the service - 52 per cent - did not return to rough sleeping.”
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