Homeless shelter to open inside University of Nottingham building

A university is offering a charity the use of one of its buildings as an emergency homeless shelter this winter.

A building that has been empty for over a year, on the University of Nottingham site, will be converted to house 22 of the city's rough sleepers.

Homeless charity Emmanuel House said the pandemic had made it harder to use their previous locations.

Ashley Roberts, head of campus services, said the university was making "a really positive difference".

The service is set to launch next week, with university staff and student volunteers helping to run the 24-hour centre.

During the pandemic rough sleepers were offered hotel rooms to stay safe but that scheme has now ended, and Covid regulations and restricted numbers have meant that a return to previous locations is no longer feasible for some charities.

Denis Tully, from Emmanuel House, said it "could well be a first" to run a shelter at a university.

"This is going to enable us to put people into bubbles, so it won't be like the previous church halls," he said.

"It's going to be a 24-hour service, so we'll be able to provide more intensive support.

"The pandemic has made providing emergency accommodation very challenging."

Mr Roberts said: "By supporting this work, up to 22 people will be off the streets and in a warm and safe location each night.

"We've already been able to offer donations of clothes and other items.

"We're delighted that our Asymptomatic Testing Service can also support [the charity's] work and help keep everyone safe.

"It shows all aspects of the university coming together to make a really positive difference to people's lives."

Muhammad Ali, community officer at University of Nottingham Students' Union, said: "This is a fantastic initiative from the university and really reaffirms their commitment to being a valued part of the local community.

"I'm really excited about the opportunity this gives to students to get involved in a great cause by helping some of the least fortunate members of our society."

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].