Winter shelter to host rough sleepers in churches

Venues supporting the shelter scheme include Canterbury Cathedral

An emergency winter shelter will be open for three months to help support rough sleepers in Canterbury.

The Canterbury Community Shelter opens on Monday and runs every night until 16 March.

It will offer accommodation for up to 15 people in a different building each night.

Delivered by the Catching Lives charity, the shelter is hosted by church and community venues including Canterbury Cathedral.

"Guests go to Catching Lives in the daytime for assessment by the Shelter coordinator to confirm their place," said the charity.

"They return to the centre in the early evening for a meal, then the evening team walk with guests to that night's venue where they hand over to the waking night team."

It added it had been recruiting a team of "committed and compassionate people" to help deliver "emergency provision to people who are homeless during the coldest months of the year".