A scheme housing rough sleepers over the coldest months of the year is appealing for more volunteers.

Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter (MCWS) offers the town’s homeless a safe space to sleep, warm food and companionship.

It runs for a short period before Christmas, and then for a 12-week stint from January 3.
Volunteers provide basic essentials and offer support on finding accommodation and services people need.

Rev Bill Miller, chairman of the board of trustees, said: “It is really tough the whole time but winter is that much harder.

“Health problems are that much greater and also particularly over winter people appreciate somewhere warm to go, a nourishing meal and also company, human interaction, friendship.

“There is a clear need and actually what we do makes a clear difference.

The winter shelter scheme is made up of a number of different venues in central Maidstone for between 20 and 30 rough sleepers.

Volunteers are needed for a number of different roles including setting up, preparing meals and providing support for a few hours overnight.
Monday Oct 10was designated World Homeless Day.

Alexa Kersting-Woods, project manager, added: “The point of the day is to show the number of homeless people across the world and also to celebrate the fantastic work that is going on like the Winter Shelter.

“We could not run if not if it was not for our amazing volunteers.”

Mr Miller added: “We can look at the statistics in all kinds of ways and one of the things the shelter does is providing a point of stability where people can raise their thinking from where do I sleep and be safe tonight, to actually what do I want to be happening next week and next month and begin to think of those long term things.

“You have to get passionate about people feeling their humanity has been stripped away, coming back and feeling human again.”

Anyone interested in taking part can come along to a sign up event at the Methodist Church Hall, in Brewer Street, Maidstone on Saturday, October 15 from 10.30am to 2.30pm.