Homeless shelter faces threat of closure

Manager Mabel Gregory said it would be "dreadful" if the shelter had to close

A homeless shelter has warned it may have to close because it only has enough money to run for another "four to five months".

Churches in Reading Drop-In Centre (CIRDIC), a shelter based in St Saviour's Church Hall in the town, says it costs £100,000 per year to run, and it currently only has about half of that.

Manager Mabel Gregory said it would be "dreadful" for the community if the centre had to close.

She said rising prices had made running the shelter "very, very difficult".

"Our gas bill has gone up to £1,000 a month," she said.

"We get a lot of free food that keeps us going really well... but it's the actual cost of running the day-to-day that's really become a huge problem for us."

The shelter is based at St Saviour's Church Hall in Reading

CIRDIC offers clothing, medical care, access to IT equipment, food and other services to homeless people in Reading.

Daniel, who has been using the service for more than 10 years, said the place "means a lot to me... and everybody in the community".

"We come together and we are a family here," he said.

If the centre cannot raise the money it needs they will not be able to open, Ms Gregory said.

"We have to continue to pay our bills," she said.

"Could you imagine this morning not having anywhere warm to go? Not to be able to eat this morning?

"They are our community. They live in our community, the folks that we look after. So, we need to raise £50,000."