Isle of Man: Campaigners call for overnight homeless shelter

There is no overnight facility for the homeless on the Isle of Man

Campaigners on the Isle of Man are hoping to gather enough support to establish a homeless night shelter.

The island's only facility, ran by charity Graih, closed in September.

However, at a public meeting on Thursday, members of the public alongside politicians have said the need had not gone away.

Campaigner Cat Jenkins said there were many people sleeping rough, and the numbers were "not going down in these times of economic crisis".

The aim of the meeting was to rally people together to get a new facility "up and running as soon as possible so that we don't go through another winter with people forced to sleep on the streets and in cars", she said.

Members of the public were joined by politicians and charity workers at the meeting

Ms Jenkins previously worked at Graih's night shelter and she said she was "really distressed" when it closed.

She said: "Some of the people who have used it in the past we would see regularly, we know that they have acute needs.

'Not forgotten'

"If there was nowhere for them to go they would be sleeping in parks, in cars... somebody spent a winter in a graveyard.

"We need to look after these people," she said, adding: "We need to show them that they're cared about, they're part of Manx society, they're not forgotten," she added.

Former MHK Peter Karran, who helped to organise the public meeting, said he wanted people to "stand up to help the people who are defenceless", and wanted it to become a "catalyst" for action.

He said: "I don't care who does it, so long as it's done.

"The reality is that we do not want to have people in shop doorways on the Isle of Man, and that's happening."

The group agreed to meet again next month, with organisers promising to rally government in the meantime for backing.