Thirty six people were guests at the Winter Shelter run by Christians Together in Calderdale this year – 33 of whom have been found homes and eight have come to faith.
Linda Maslen, a member of Christians Together and an assistant curate in Mount Pellon and St Augustine, Halifax said: “The Winter Shelter is always a mixture of fun, hard work, sadness, frustration and joy and 2017 has been no different.
“We are incredibly grateful to the 100 plus volunteers who support us from around Calderdale giving up their time and love to help those who are often right on the margin's of society.
“This year we have had 36 people stay with us as our guests, of those we have found homes for 33, two of those people have gone into drug rehabilitation. Two people we were unable to rehouse as they are refugees, are now being supported through St Augustine's Centre Halifax. And everyone who came through our doors are still being supported through our Second Chances team to ensure that they maintain their tenancies and are getting the right benefits and access to additional support from other agencies if needed," she added.
The Winter Shelter, which ran from 5 Jan to 31 March, provided shelter and food for those who would have otherwise been sleeping on the streets with a back up of services and support during and after the Shelter closes..
Over 100 volunteers helped to run the Shelter from 6pm to 8.30am at The Gathering Place in the centre of Halifax with support from Calderdale Council, Community Foundation Calderdale, Safer Communities and many other local donors.
This is the third year the Winter Shelter has run out of The Gathering Place and in that time, volunteers estimate 24 people havd come to faith.
The Revd Linda Maslen, said: “The first and foremost aim of the shelter is to provide warmth, food, love and support, followed very quickly by practical support to access good living accommodation, the right benefits and support and the basic requirements of a home, a bed, chairs, a cooker a fridge.
“But we find that during this journey the people who are our guests start to belong to our family and often find a love that they may never have experienced or have not experienced for a long time.
“As they become a part of that family they realise that central to the family is our belief in Jesus and His saving and healing power. Many then also turn to Him.
Many of our guests at the winter shelter have often tried every alternative to faith, Jesus becomes the answer that they need and many of them return to volunteer," she added.
Saturday Gathering is a Fresh Expression of church in Halifax. It all began at the Halifax Food and Support Drop In which was set up and run by people from a number of different churches within the Calderdale area who were motivated to do more than just offer food and wanted to support people in being able to change their circumstances through access to the right help.
Saturday Gathering started in September 2012 with 6 people and now regularly sees over 70 people gathered together to worship – with over 100 people newly baptised or confirmed.
There are three three gatherings a week. Saturday Gathering Central at The Gathering Place 1, St James Rd, Halifax HX11YS and Saturday Gathering West at St Hilda's Church Gibralter Rd HX1 4HE at 7pm each Saturday ( except Easter Saturday) and Thursday Gathering at The Gathering Place 1, St James Rd, Halifax HX11YS on Thursdays at 11.30am