What do you associate with winter? Cold crisp sunny morning’s with frost delicately coating the trees, running from your car to front door shaking off your umbrella as you put the key in the lock, getting curled up with a good book in the warmth of your home, a big roaring logfire?

Ever wondered what it would be like tohave no where to call home? To wake up in the morning, cold from the tip of your nose to your toes? To face a day of wandering the streets, sitting in a doorway to shelter from the rain, not sure what or when you will eat next? If this wasn’t bad enough you also face the threat of violence and abuse. Not necessarily only from your peers but also from those in a more comfortable position.

What is about homelessness that brings such mixed reactions from people? Do people choose to make themselves homeless or not? Well in some instances this must be the case, just as the smoker chooses to give himself lung cancer, the convenience food eater does to increase their risk of heart disease. Everybody makes personal decisions in lifestyle that have a consequence either to them or to society as a whole. However some people could end uphomeless following a change in circumstances outside their control, a marital break up, a financial crisis or eviction or mental health issues. But is the cause really relevant to the personal suffering involved and also the implications to society overall? Is it preferable to have people sleeping in shop doorways with no toilet facilities, begging for food or money, to having staffed overnight centres to provide the basics of shelter, hot meal, bed and support?

One such centre exists in Hitchin, situated at corner of Grove and Nightingale Road. North Herts Sanctuary night shelter offers17 beds in shared rooms, with washing and laundry facilities for clients use, plus support and advice from the project workers. A hot evening meal is cooked by volunteers, a breakfast and packed lunch are also provided. DASH drug and alcohol project is based there Mon, Weds and Fri 2pm to 4pm. Here clients are helped with addiction problems by way of referral, also assisted with form filling for benefits, jobs or housing. The Sanctuary is a charity and therefore reliant on donations of either cash, or provisions, such as food or toiletries. Volunteers also supplement the paid workforce and are invaluable in running the shelter.