Laura Fraser-Crewes, CEO of Transforming Plymouth Together
Plymouth homelessness charity Path is mobilising its Winter Night Shelters for a second year, bringing together local churches, volunteers and specialist homelessness services to provide safe emergency accommodation and help people sleeping rough find a route off the streets - supporting the Government's national ambition to ensure everyone sleeping rough is offered help before Christmas.
The Winter Night Shelter, also known as Project 58:7, is operating from November 2026 to March 2027, building on the success of its first year, which provided safe shelter for 73 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Plymouth.
Delivered through a partnership between Path, Transforming Plymouth Together (TPT), local churches and volunteers, the project provides emergency overnight accommodation across five nights of church-based provision, alongside specialist support to help guests access longer-term housing.
Last winter, the shelter also prevented 22 people from spending their first night sleeping rough, while 89 per cent of guests moved on into longer-term accommodation.
This year's participating churches are Sherwell United Church, St Peter the Apostle Church, the Minster Church of St Andrew and Mutley Baptist Church, which will host the shelter for two nights each week.
Plymouth responding to national call to tackle rough sleeping
The shelter's second year comes as the Government announces a renewed national drive to ensure everyone sleeping rough is offered a route off the streets or wider support before Christmas.
On 25 October, the Prime Minister announced a further £432 million to support this ambition, bringing the total planned investment to £874 million. The announcement also highlighted the importance of sustaining support beyond winter, helping people move into settled accommodation and rebuild their lives.
The Government's first Rough Sleeping Summit at Downing Street brought together charities, businesses, housing providers and community leaders, calling for a coordinated national response to homelessness. Plymouth was among the places specifically identified for further provision in the coming weeks.
Path's Winter Night Shelter demonstrates how this approach is already being put into practice locally, with churches, volunteers and homelessness professionals working together to provide immediate safety while creating opportunities for people to move towards more stable accommodation.
However, Path stresses that getting someone off the streets is only the first step. Without suitable housing options and continued support, people can remain at risk of returning to homelessness.
Beyond emergency shelter: creating lasting routes out of homelessness
While the immediate priority of Project 58:7 is to ensure people have somewhere safe and warm to sleep, the project is also an important point of engagement with Path's wider homelessness services.
Path staff work with guests to understand their individual circumstances, explore housing options and connect them with specialist services that can help address the challenges contributing to their homelessness.
For some, this may include support with mental or physical health, financial difficulties, accessing benefits, rebuilding relationships or other complex needs.
Once accommodation has been secured, ongoing wrap-around support can be critical in helping people sustain their tenancies and avoid repeated experiences of homelessness.
Victoria Allen, CEO of Path, said:
"The Government's commitment to ensuring everyone sleeping rough is offered a route off the streets by Christmas is an ambition we fully support. Here in Plymouth, our Winter Night Shelter demonstrates what can be achieved when local organisations, churches and volunteers come together to make that ambition a reality.
"Last winter, we provided safe shelter for 73 people, prevented 22 people from spending their first night sleeping rough and saw 89 per cent of our guests move on into longer-term accommodation. Those are incredibly encouraging outcomes, and we're determined to build on them this year.
"But getting someone off the street is where the work begins, not where it ends. A safe bed for the night provides immediate protection and an opportunity to engage with support, but lasting change depends on what happens next.
"People need access to suitable, affordable housing and the right wrap-around support to address the challenges they face. Helping someone sustain a tenancy is just as important as helping them secure one in the first place.
"We welcome the Government's recognition that support must continue beyond Christmas and beyond the winter months. Our focus is not simply on getting people through the coldest nights, but on helping them build the stability and independence they need to leave homelessness behind for good."
Churches and volunteers at the heart of Plymouth's response
Project 58:7 brings together the resources and commitment of local faith communities with Path's specialist homelessness expertise.
This winter, Sherwell United Church, St Peter the Apostle Church, the Minster Church of St Andrew and Mutley Baptist Church will provide safe and welcoming spaces for people who would otherwise be at risk of sleeping rough.
Mutley Baptist Church will host the shelter for two nights each week, contributing to the five nights of church-based provision across the city.
The project relies on volunteers working alongside Path staff to prepare venues, welcome guests, provide refreshments and help maintain a safe and supportive environment overnight.
Most referrals often come through the Plymouth Soup Run, a long-established volunteer-led service providing hot food, drinks and support to people experiencing homelessness or hardship. Operating seven nights a week across four city locations, the Soup Run brings together churches, businesses and local volunteers, building trusted relationships and helping people connect with further support.
For many guests, the opportunity to rest somewhere warm, receive a hot drink and speak to someone who treats them with kindness and dignity can be an important first step towards engaging with further support.
Laura Fraser-Crewes, CEO of Transforming Plymouth Together, said:
"Project 58:7 shows what can happen when churches, charities and people across Plymouth come together with a shared commitment to care for those in our community who are facing homelessness.
"The churches involved provide much more than a building for the night. Together with Path staff and volunteers, they help create a place where people can feel safe, welcomed and treated with dignity at a particularly difficult point in their lives.
"Volunteers are at the heart of making that possible. You don't need specialist experience - just a willingness to give some of your time and to welcome people with kindness and compassion. We would love to see more people from across Plymouth join us this winter."
Building on a successful first year
The results of Project 58:7's first winter demonstrate the value of combining emergency accommodation with specialist homelessness support.
In addition to providing shelter for 73 people, the project prevented 22 people from sleeping rough for the first time and helped 89 per cent of guests move into longer-term accommodation.
The shelter's impact has also been felt by those who volunteered to support it.
One volunteer from last winter said:
"When I started last October, I nearly cried, from the moment I started – knowing all guests staying overnight had a mattress, clean bedding and a safe place to put their head down for the night. Clothing available, new trainers, hot beverages and snacks. Always one of us to chat with.
Everyone appreciated it loads. I thoroughly enjoyed volunteering. Kindness & trust makes a lot of difference."
As the project enters its second year, Path and its partners are committed to building on these outcomes, ensuring that emergency shelter remains a gateway to longer-term housing solutions rather than a temporary response to homelessness.
The charity is also encouraging people across Plymouth to consider volunteering, with evening, overnight and split-night shifts available. Full induction, training and ongoing support are provided, and no previous experience is necessary.
The Winter Night Shelter is currently funded by the Rank Foundation, Livewell Southwest and the MHCLG Rough Sleeping Programme.
To find out more about Project 58:7 or register an interest in volunteering, visit: www.pathdevon.org/winternightshelter