Bristol Friends expand Meeting’s homeless shelter
'The 365 Shelter' in Bristol is to be expanded
Central Bristol Friends are expanding their Meeting house in order to accommodate more homeless people at its overnight shelter.
The Meeting established the shelter in response to Bristol’s growing homeless problem. According to Stephen Petter, a trustee of Bristol Area Meeting, ‘The 365 Shelter’ can house up to fifteen people and is part of the only church in central Bristol to offer overnight accommodation every night.
He told the Friend: ‘We are about to build a modest extension alongside the Meeting house and hopefully a garden room for counselling. The new space will create storage to increase guest numbers, and will run alongside the building in a current fire escape passage and extend out of the front of the building.’
Plans also include a shower room, a food preparation and storage zone for increased guest numbers, a laundry zone and warden desk space. The estimated cost is £260,000 and, according to Stephen Petter, the Meeting is ‘busy seeking funds to complete the project, and have applied to several trusts. Very touchingly a local charitable trust approached us, having heard of our work, to offer £100,000 to enhance and expand facilities for the homeless guests and others have also donated. But, of course, decision-making takes time, and the need is pressing.’
The charity ‘Caring In Bristol’ manages the shelter and volunteers, at least three of whom are Quaker members or attenders.
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