Nottingham charity Emmanuel House has launched its Winter Appeal to raise vital funds to help prevent homelessness this winter. One of the projects funded by the Winter Appeal is the Nottingham Winter Shelter, which offers accommodation for up to 22 people per night, ensuring there are fewer people on the streets during the coldest months of the year.
Since opening the Nottingham Winter Shelter on 11th November 2021, Emmanuel House has enabled over 149 nights’ protection and access to safe accommodation for 23 guests. The 24 hour wrap-around support means that it not only offers a safe night’s sleep, but also works with guests to secure long-term accommodation. Guests are supported to overcome obstacles with access to and information about services that they are entitled to.
Emmanuel House’s CEO, Denis Tully, said: “Anyone over the age of 18 can access the services regardless of their personal characteristics or cultural identity. Without the Winter Shelter, many people would be at risk, this year. Homeless people face not only the usual dangers from cold, wet weather, but also additional dangers of catching and spreading Covid-19 whilst sleeping rough or sofa surfing and unable to readily access healthcare.”
Covid-19’s impact on homelessness
Denis added: “The Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us of the importance of home and hope, family and connection, but there are many people in Nottingham who will spend this winter without a safe place to call home. At the last count, every month there are over 100 individual people seen sleeping rough in Nottingham. Most of them are experiencing homelessness for the first time. Emmanuel House’s beneficiaries are suffering the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, with an increase in demand for housing, social isolation, complications with mental and physical health, worsening financial pressures, the end of furlough, Universal Credit cuts, unemployment, domestic violence and evictions.
“People we work with are in crisis and need intervention and support so we can prevent them from becoming homeless or help them recover from their experiences of homelessness.”
How can you help Emmanuel House tackle homelessness this winter?
Everything Emmanuel House does contributes to the work of getting people out of homelessness but a number of its key services receive no statutory funding, which means it has to fundraise to keep them going: the emergency Winter Shelter, culturally-specific support work, a warm and safe support centre with an Access Team that offers basic services, and a Wellbeing Support Team, offering mental health support to people that are homeless or vulnerable. By donating to Emmanuel House’s Winter Appeal, you can help tackle homelessness and be part of its winter story.
How you can help this winter
Donate money to Emmanuel House’s Winter Appeal
- £10 enables support workers to meet a homeless person for the first time, assess their needs and make a plan for support.
- £50 provides three meals a day for the 22 guests in the Winter Shelter
- £100 provides a package of support for someone in crisis, including showers, clean clothes, hot food, care of address and specialist advice.
- £250 provides a package of support to get someone off the streets, helping to meet their basic human needs, liaising with other agencies and supporting them into accommodation.
- £350 provides all the meals served in the Winter Shelter for one week.
- It costs £1000 to run the Nottingham Winter Shelter for 24 hours.
You can find out more information and donate here.
Fundraise
Download Emmanuel House’s fundraising pack for ideas and inspiration.
Donate food
Find a list of food and clothes needed for the Support Centre and the Winter Shelter.
Donate to Emmanuel House using Amazon Smile for your Christmas shopping
Amazon Smile automatically donates 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to your chosen charity when you shop on smile.amazon.co.uk. It’s a quick, simple and free way of supporting Emmanuel House whilst you’re doing your online shopping.
Volunteer
Apply to volunteer at Emmanuel House’s Support Centre and Winter Shelter.
