A CHARITY that supports homeless men is set to open a new ‘halfway house’ in town next week after reporting that ‘levels of homelessness are increasing’.
Sanctuary Trust chair Frank Walker said that the organisation, which currently supports up to 24 individuals across two sites, planned to open the six-bedroom facility in New Street on Monday.
It will serve a similar purpose to one of the charity’s other properties, Sanctuary Lodge, and act as a halfway house for residents once they are ready to live with more independence.
The trust had hoped to open the new facility in April, but Mr Walker explained that the date was delayed by building works.
He said: ‘It gives us an additional six secondary rooms.
‘These are rooms that guys move into when they are ready to move on from the entry house and gain some more independence but not total independence.
‘They do their own cooking, they are very much self-supporting, but they have still got that sense of community and, of course, they have still got access to our staff.
‘Although we don’t have staff living there, they have access to our staff if any issue arises or they need help with anything at all. They are still part of the community,’ he added.
Mr Walker added the charity had also been able to recruit additional staff, including two full-time employees and a number of people who could be ‘called in’ for part-time shifts.
‘The staff are the ones who are absolutely at the front end here,’ he said.
‘They are dealing every day and every night with residents, the vast majority of whom have real issues.
‘It may be alcohol dependency, it may be a whole host [of issues] and I can’t praise the staff members too highly. It is an incredibly difficult job creating enormous stress and strain for them.
‘We are blessed with the team that we have got. They are so dedicated and they love their job, even when the stress levels are ridiculous.’
In February, Mr Walker revealed that the organisation was operating at capacity and had been forced to turn away 11 people over a two-month period.
He said this was still happening, but noted that the situation was currently not as severe as it had been earlier in the year.
‘However, we shouldn’t pretend that the problem doesn’t exist – we are full and we do have a waiting list,’ he said.
‘It is only a small waiting list but the fact there is a waiting list at all is not good.
‘The levels [of homelessness] are increasing.
‘The likelihood is that more and more people, even if they have got good jobs, won’t be able to afford to live.’
