Isle of Man's only homeless night shelter to close

The only night shelter for homeless people on the Isle of Man is set to close at the end of September.

John Bingham, chairman of charity Graih, said staffing levels had been "increasingly difficult" to maintain.

Lunchtime drop in sessions offering food and shower facilities will be taken over by Broadway Baptist Church.

The charity will also be wound down after a review looked at resourcing and the "sustainability of services".

Infrastructure Minister Chris Thomas said the government is "committed" to providing emergency shelter until the end of March 2023.

Graih has been supporting homeless people the Isle of Man since 2008, and opened the night shelter in 2019.

It has provided more than 3,000 overnight beds since.

Mr Bingham said with growing pressure on staff resources, "the situation is no longer sustainable".

The "vital service" needs two members of staff to be on duty at all times from 19:00 to 07:30 BST to help people "who may walk in off the street as they have nowhere else to go", he added.

The Isle of Man's homeless will still be able to visit the Broadway Baptist Church, where the charity based its activities most lunchtimes for support.

From 10:30 to 14:00 volunteers provide food, hot drinks, clothing, shower facilities and a safe, social place to visit.

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