Emmanuel House has seen a 78% increase in homeless people staying at its Winter Shelter compared to the previous year

Between 9 October 2023 and 8 April 2024, Emmanuel House’s winter homeless shelter provided 5693 nights’ protection for 190 people. Last year’s 2022-2023 project supported 107 people.

When this year’s shelter opened in a building on the University of Nottingham campus, it was accommodating up to 27 people every night. Due to the increasing number of referrals and demand for the service, in February 2024 we increased the capacity to 40 people a night. Our friends at Trent Vineyard church also provided space for an additional 10 beds in a room at its Arches premises on Lenton Lane for nine weeks from early February.

“Alongside relationship breakdown and eviction from rented accommodation, the eviction of people from Home Office accommodation has significantly contributed to the increased use of this year’s Winter Shelter. The Winter Shelter has played an important role in supporting people through the transition from asylum Home Office provision into more stable accommodation.”

Denis Tully, CEO at Emmanuel House

The Winter Shelter provided 24-hour support and three meals a day for people who were rough sleeping during the worst of the winter months. Our staff worked hard to find guests more sustainable accommodation. They also provided specialist mental health support and access to physical health appointments.

90 people moved into more permanent accommodation

Of the 190 people who stayed at the Winter Shelter this year, we supported 90 people into more permanent accommodation. This is an average of 3.46 people every week for 26 weeks.

• 42 people are now living in private rented accommodation
• 14 people moved into other types of accommodation
• 30 people moved to supported accommodation
• Four people reconnected with friends or family

The Winter Shelter was located on The University of Nottingham campus for the third year running, thanks to the university’s estates team.

Thanks to our incredible volunteers

39 individual people volunteered at the 2023-2024 Winter Shelter, as well as 26 different groups from local organisations. These groups cooked evening meals for the guests and provided the ingredients.

“Thank you to all staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to prevent vulnerable people from returning to homelessness. We’d also like to thank the University of Nottingham and Trent Vineyard for helping us provide shelter for our beneficiaries.”

Viv Dickinson, Head of Accommodation Services at Emmanuel House

The future of the Winter Shelter

We are looking to continue the success of the project and hope to re-open the Winter Shelter later in the year. In the meantime, we are temporarily providing emergency night time-only accommodation at our Hockley support centre.

We are also looking for spaces with smaller units of accommodation, including a 6–8-bedroom House of Multiple Occupancy to rent in Nottingham city. To speak to someone about this, please email viv.dickinson@emmanuelhouse.org.uk.