Extra beds are being provided for the homeless of Bournemouth as outdoor temperatures plummet below freezing point.
St Paul’s Hostel in the town centre has started its Winter Watch scheme, which will make 10 more beds available to people who don’t have anywhere else to sleep.
The scheme is run every year in order to help address the increased risks faced by homeless people as temperatures plunge.
Bournemouth is currently going through a bitterly cold winter, with some residents reporting temperatures as low as -10C on Saturday.
Jenny Osborne is PR Manager at Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA), the charity that runs the hostel. She said the winter conditions present a serious threat to those without somewhere to stay.
“It’s a lot worse [in winter]. It’s not just the colder weather, it’s also the dampness and the wet, which can threaten someone’s health, really.”
BCHA runs the Winter Watch scheme every year. Last year, they reported that they were able to take an extra 99 people off the streets.
The manager of St Paul’s Hostel, Nathaniel Majors, said: “We would like to thank everyone involved in Winter Watch who helped make the scheme such a success.
“The service would not be able to continue without the dedicated people who give up their time to help others.”
