Manx government commit to emergency winter shelter for homeless

There will be emergency shelter for homeless people in the coming winter months, the Isle of Man's infrastructure minster has said.

Chris Thomas said the government was working to find an interim provider after the closure of the only night shelter, which was run by Manx charity Graih.

He said details would be announced "in the coming weeks".

Work on a permanent service to start in 2023 was also under way, he added.

Mr Thomas said he was confident the government would "find the right building" and "put in place the right people" to support those faced with the prospect of sleeping rough.

'Continuity'

Graih has been supporting homeless people on the Isle of Man since 2008 and the night shelter has provided more than 3,000 overnight beds since 2019.

Chairman John Bingham said it was with "deep regret" the service and charity was being wound down, because "a decision like this involves lives".

However, growing pressures on volunteers and staff who looked after the services meant "it was affecting their well-being", he added.

Lunchtime drop-in sessions offering food and shower facilities will be taken over by Broadway Baptist Church.

Minister Bill Leishman said he hoped that "as much continuity as possible" would be provided for those who had used the facilities in the past as Graih's activities had been based in the church.

Regular users of the services had been "right at the heart" of the church's decision to take on the sessions, so that the care for people "who just wouldn't have the wherewithal to eat otherwise" would continue, he added.