Hundreds of Edinburgh's rough sleepers benefit from converted church
A homeless shelter in a converted Edinburgh church has provided a bed for around 650 different people since it opened at the end of last year.
The wooden pews at the former Stenhouse St Aidan’s Parish Church building on Chesser Avenue have been replaced with rows of single beds for rough sleepers.
It all cost £220,000 and an extension has been added to house a toilet block and showers.
The building has been renamed Diadem and volunteers from around 70 church congregations in Edinburgh use the kitchen to cook a two-course evening meal for service users each night.
The emergency accommodation project is a joint venture between Gorgie, Dalry, Stenhouse Church of Scotland and Bethany Christian Trust.
A special thanksgiving service is being held in one of the church halls on Sunday (April 7) by the congregation’s minister, Rev Peter Barber.
To date, the shelter, which is open from 9pm until 6.30am, has welcomed 653 different individuals and provided 10,767 bed spaces.
An average of 60 people, many of whom are ferried there by minibus, have used the facility each night.
Up until now the project rotated round different church venues in Edinburgh and service users slept on mats on the floor.
Community outreach worker Michael McMullin who has experienced homelessness himself praised the service.
"I was lucky that I had friends who helped me get back on my feet and I hope that the work we are helping to do can break the circle for people who have fallen on hard times.
"They are valued human beings and the church family does not judge – it provides a warm and safe environment."
Ruth Longmuir, of Bethany Christian Trust, said: “Diadem is a wonderful venue and we are delighted to be based there.
"The raised beds and shower facilities have made a huge difference to our guests.
"We are thankful that Gorgie Dalry Stenhouse Church shares our vision for the Care Shelter and have so generously provided this building for our long-term use.