A St Albans homeless shelter is searching for more volunteers to help manage extra beds in the winter.

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

The initiative runs from November to March and all volunteers are given full training.

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 you are giving them a leg up, even if it’s only for the night.”

All the volunteers who committed last year are invited to a thank you party at St Peter’s Church.

Find out more and get involved by contacting Simon Carver on simoncarver@btinternet.com