VOLUNTEERS are at the heart of making things run smoothly at the Night Light Winter Shelter.

The scheme, which provides respite and hospitality to people sleeping rough in Basingstoke and Deane, will this year see more than 300 volunteers give up their time to support the project.

Now in its second year, the shelter is now open seven nights a week until February 28, with guests referred to the shelter by relevant agencies in Basingstoke.

This means people giving their time is vital, whether it be to just sit with and chat to someone, play cards with them, help cooking food or coordinate the movement of supplies to different areas.

There is something for everyone to do.

Mother-of-two and venue coordinator Katie Tambascia was a volunteer last year, and has returned this year, so saw first-hand how just being there to listen and be hospitable really impacted the guests who used the shelter.

She said: “I originally volunteered last year because I just wanted to help.

“I have children and when you are walking through the town centre and they are asking about the people they see sleeping rough its instinctive to want to help.

“Last year we had some real success stories; I recently saw a man who was a guest here last year and now he has got a place to live and is going for job interviews. I am hoping for more people like that this year.”

For other people, joining in the Night Light Winter Shelter is their first experience of volunteering and it has been an eye-opening experience learning the ins and outs.

One such first-time volunteer is mother-of-two Rachel Brown who heard about the shelter while at St Bebe’s Church, in Popley.

She told The Gazette: “I have always wanted to do voluntary work, but I did not know where or what to do. Then I heard about the shelter and something just resonated with me.

“We all think we don’t have the time to volunteer, but I just really thought my time would be more valuable helping someone else.”

Lorraine Anstey, who this year takes on the role of project coordinator, added: “The council has been great support, offering us excellent training relevant to homelessness and this will also help us to improve and build on what we learnt last year.

“We hope to once again create a welcoming family atmosphere.”

As a result of last year’s project success and the collaboration of the council and other Basingstoke agencies, 32 people who used the shelter became housed.

The Night Light Winter Shelter is receiving funding as part of this year’s Real Change, Not Loose Change campaign, which aims to raise more than £16,000 to support rough sleepers in the borough.

To support the Real Change, Not Loose Change campaign visit spacehive.com/realchange-basingstoke-2017.