A nightshelter in Winchester is set to receive £25,000 to improve its facilities.

Residents at the Winchester Beacon, formerly known as Winchester Churches Nightshelter, have to share showers, basins and toilets in a communal bathroom.

The male residents feel ‘vulnerable’ and ‘unsafe’ due to the communal bathroom, which has made it difficult to use the facilities and maintain proper hygiene.

The Winchester Beacon has provided a temporary home to those experiencing homelessness at various locations since 1988. Since the late 90s it has been based in Jewry Street.

Open 365 days of the year, there are ten bedrooms at the Jewry Street premises and an additional twelve beds at the three four-bedroom off-site properties in the local area.

The Leader and Executive Member for Hampshire 2050 and Corporate Services, councillor Rob Humby approves the grant under his Leader’s community grant fund 2023/24 (July 13).

Cllr Adrian Collett said: "I’m pleased to see an improvement in dignity under this grant.”

Phase one of the project is to provide a fully accessible shower unit for wheelchair access and those with disabilities to use and enlarge one of the smaller bedrooms, which needs to be extended to meet HMO Officer specifications; otherwise, it has to be taken out of use.

Phase two is the provision of eight individual lockable shower units. The report reads, "The renovation is also important to ensure that the needs of all residents are being met, especially with increasing numbers of transgender residents."

Residents not only access secure and comfortable accommodation and nutritious food, but they also benefit from a wide-ranging programme of practical and emotional support to help them break the cycle of homelessness and rebuild their lives.

The total project cost is £169 950, funded by the Leader’s community grants of £25,000; £40,000 funding from CRASH; £73,064 from Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; £2,000+ pro bono architect, civil engineering team project managers from CRASH and Aecom.

Michèle Price, Beacon chief executive, said: "Our current open plan bathroom facilities are outdated and do not meet the needs of our residents. They fail to provide privacy when washing and dressing and can leave our residents feeling vulnerable.
"We are extremely grateful to Hampshire County Council and the Leader’s Community Grant which will help significantly towards the cost of our plans to fit an accessible bathroom and eight additional bathroom pods. With our lease lasting until 2095, the new facilities will benefit hundreds of future residents.”