Lottery grant kickstarts £2.7m fundraising campaign for new Winter Night Shelter facility in Milton Keynes

This will help not only those that are currently homeless, but also offer a safe space for vulnerable families and people in danger of losing their home or need other support.

The Winter Night Shelter in Milton Keynes has been at the front line of helping people in need throughout the pandemic and its work to meet the need continues to grow. Over the last 12 months the welfare team have had a record caseload helping around 200 people each week access support services at Unity Park Station, its day centre at the old bus station.

Russell Marriott, fundraising manager at the Winter Night Shelter MK, said: “This ambitious project is about us helping the many families, and individuals in Milton Keynes who are at crisis point and don’t know where to turn. We are committed to helping and supporting the most vulnerable, to give them an opportunity to look forward to a positive future.”

A spokesman added: “Wolverton is much needed. After more than ten years of Winter Night Shelter expertise and success at Unity Park Station, the charity is scaling up to deliver the next stage of their charitable activity – which looks to prevent homelessness in the city rather than just respond to it.

“This project is important for enabling people to embark on a new life, maintain personal stability and sustain their tenancies, thus reducing a bounce-back’ to the streets. It will also enable the Winter Night Shelter to work with more landlords who are keen to partner with the charity to provide tenancies for people on low incomes.

“The charity’s wide range of partner organisations, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Foodbank, and Narcotics Anonymous, will all be able to use the space to deliver their specialist support services too.”

To ensure the Wolverton building is fit for purpose, the charity has launched a £2.7m fundraising campaign – which has been boosted by a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, to help renovate the run-down old railway training centre.

For more information or to donate visit https://www.winternightsheltermk.org/give/wolverton-project/