A LANDMARK project to offer a lifeline to those sleeping rough in Worcester has been given the green light thanks to cash from the Big Lottery Fund.
Maggs Day Centre volunteers are celebrating after being handed a three-year grant from the National Lottery cash pot to fund their new outreach project.
The financial boost will enable the popular city lifeline to establish its Maggs Outreach and Transitional Service or MOATS.
As part of the scheme, a team of three full-time outreach workers will operate countywide to offer a helping hand to those sleeping rough and put them in touch with the relevant local organisations.
Since opening in 1985 to support the homeless and vulnerable in Worcester, Maggs has seen many changes which have affected the people it serves as a result of the current economic climate.
Responding to these with new projects that aim to meet the needs of their service users and enable them to move forward.
While there has been a shift towards more preventative work to stop homelessness happening in the first place, Maggs volunteers have vowed to continue to work with and engage the hardest to reach.
Maggs chief executive Mel Kirk said she was delighted to secure a three year commitment to fund the ground-breaking scheme.
“It will enable us to work with some of the hardest to reach across Worcestershire while building partnerships with local agencies to gain the best outcomes possible for this challenging service user group.”
The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for giving out 40 per cent of the money raised by National Lottery players for good causes.
James Harcourt, England Grant Making Director at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting this project to help homeless and vulnerable people.
“It’s great to see National Lottery funding improving the lives and wellbeing of people in Worcestershire.”
Taking the MOATS project forward through 2018 and beyond will build on a successful few months for Maggs and the services it already offers within the city and will extend the work it does already with the homeless and vulnerable in Worcester.
Maggs will also be the venue for a night shelter for rough sleepers if freezing temperatures arrive over the winter months.
Worcester City Council, countywide homelessness contractor CCP and Maggs Day Centre have joined forces to make sure the shelter can be up and running if the weather hits zero degrees or snow falls.
The night shelter will have space for up to 18 rough sleepers, who will be given sleeping bags, hot drinks, food and advice on longer term housing options.
Ben Bradley, Worcester City Council Single Homelessness Pathways Officer, said: “We’ll have the night shelter open from 9.30pm and we’ll have tea, coffee, sugar, cuppa soups and other provisions ready.
“We’ll have sleeping bags for up to 18 people and staff on hand all night to check on the welfare of the rough sleepers.”
