DEVIZES homeless will be given a vital life line over the winter months by a dedicated homeless shelter that give people a warm place to stay overnight and a hot meal.

The centre in St Andrew’s Church will have five beds as well as new showers, which will be run by a dedicated outreach worker and a team of volunteers over the winter months until March.

Cash for the project has come after Wiltshire Council successfully bid for money from central Government to tackle homelessness and was awarded £312,000.

Devizes charity OpenDoors already runs a day centre in the town and will manage the overnight shelter.

The charity's chairmen says that the group’s existing knowledge and relationships with vulnerable people in Devizes will ensure they can help those who need to sue the shelter the most.

John Saunders said: “A few years ago people were very concerned about rough sleepers especially in wooded areas in Devizes.

“This will have a significant impact for Devizes and make a significant impact on resolving the problem.

“We will provide help not only with accommodation if people are without shelter but give them the right support by signposting them onto other agencies so they get support to progress and make themselves ready to get their own accommodation.

“People will not just be given accommodation off the streets for the night, I think Open Doors will make it more likely that they won’t need to return."

“We will be able to provide support throughout the winter months and these beds will be able to help at least half of the people in Devizes who are homeless in this time.”

“People will help with washing up and cleaning, when they stay overnight they will all be expected to get involved in the running of the shelter.”

The shelter will operate it on a first come first served basis and people will need to call ahead using the hub in the library.

A night shelter in Chippenham will also be set up using money from the £312,000 fund and three high support places in a hostel in Salisbury will be made available.

Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for housing, Richard Clewer, said: “This is excellent news.

“Rough sleepers are a difficult group to reach out to, and the more support we can get out on the streets the better, and this extra money will help with that.”

Lisa Lewis, who runs the Doorway project in Chippenham, said: “This is a really positive step. It can make a real difference in the lives of people on the streets.

“Having extra support workers is really important in building up relationships with rough sleepers and building trust, and providing more winter shelters spaces is a brilliant idea.”