In Maidstone, as in most large towns, there is a homeless problem that needs to be recognised. Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter (MCWS) seeks to address this issue as well as some of the causes and consequences of homelessness. The people we work with all live on the streets, some have been homeless for a short period of time, others for many years. Living on the streets is not safe and, in the main, most of the people we work with are looking for help to find a way to get off the streets. Being street homeless in winter is especially miserable, particularly when heavy rain and cold temperatures are involved.
Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter (MCWS) opens for 3 months each year, to provide a hot meal, a bed in warm & safe surroundings for the night and a listening ear for up to 15 Street Homeless people in Maidstone, during the coldest months of the winter.
We operate a 'rolling night shelter' system, using 7 different church buildings to host the shelters (one for each night of the week), which means that the load is shared between church venues and teams. MCWS brings together churches, church members and volunteers (both secular and non secular) to provide a safe environment for Maidstone's homeless community throughout the coldest months of the winter. Last winter we had over 250 volunteers helping within our shelters.
Throughout the period of the shelter we work closely with local agencies and Maidstone Borough Council and we encourage our homeless guests to liaise with these organisations in order to get support with accommodation and benefits/employment. Our aim is to support them through the winter, whilst encouraging them to seek longer term help and support, to move off the streets for good.
Last winter we provided meals and overnight accommodation for 511 street homeless guests. This was less than full capacity because our local authority, Maidstone Borough Council, were able to provide temporary accommodation for many of our local homeless community throughout the winter months. However, the support of MCWS still avoided 511 street sleeps during the winter!
This number consisted of 49 guests (47 male, 2 female) some of whom only stayed for a few nights and others who stayed much longer. Out of these guests, 33 were subsequently offered accommodation because of their interaction with our local authority.
We also provided 336 hot dinners for homeless people who had been moved into temporary accommodation, as they enjoyed the support and company offered by our staff and volunteers. These guests came for dinner, support and a chat, before returning to their accommodation for the night.
However, our shelter does more than just providing food and shelter throughout the winter months, as we also support our guests to gain a sense of self-worth, wellbeing and hope. Being in the shelter helps them to feel that their lives count and give them hope for a better future.
