Call for volunteers at St Albans nightshelter winter beds project

Can you give up a few hours to help someone get off the street for a night?

The St Albans Winter Beds Project provides five extra beds for rough sleepers in St Albans during the winter months.

Open Door night shelter on Bricket Road can accommodate 12 people year round, but for the third winter running the charity has partnered with Trinity United Reformed Church to provide the extra beds throughout the coldest season.

The Winter Beds Project runs from December to March and all volunteers are given full training.

The project based at Trinity United Reform Church is looking for volunteers to help run the project this winter. Volunteers are needed to help welcome guests when they arrive, to sleep overnight and to do the early morning shift, including clearing away.

Former St Albans MP, and chair of Open Door, Kerry Pollard, said: "It is awful having to be a rough sleeper.

"You would be doing a fantastic volunteering job as these are people on the outside edge of society and our volunteers gave them a leg up, even if it's only for the night."

Get involved by contacting Lucy Gaygusuz at winterbedsproject@opendoorstalbans.org