First winter rough sleepers can stay at Weymouth's new housing units
The temporary units serve as a new home for The Bus Shelter Dorset.
This Christmas will see a dozen rough sleepers safe from the cold and danger of sleeping on our local streets of Weymouth.
It's all thanks to a joint housing initiative between The Bus Shelter Dorset and Dorset Council, together with generous support from the community.
The project, which opened its doors to its first temporary residents on 16 September, provides 12 custom-built modular housing units. Each offering its own front door with a bedroom and en-suite facilities, a communal kitchen and a separate learning /games room completes the area, supported through the Wates Foundation.
The transitional housing has been made possible through a successful bid for £188k from the Government’s Next Steps to Accommodation Programme. It builds on the ‘Everyone In’ initiative, which took people off the streets and gave them temporary accommodation to protect them during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The main infrastructure is now complete and the first guests are receiving the support to help them access the appropriate services to rebuild their lives. Dorset Council and The Bus Shelter Dorset charity are extending their thanks to the many businesses and individuals who have made the project possible.
Emily McCarron, Co-Founder and CEO, The Bus Shelter Dorset, said:
“We are so very grateful to everyone who has supported this project. Special thanks must go to Newspace Containers Ltd in Bristol. They worked tirelessly to design and deliver these high-quality units to us in August”.
“Local businesses, individuals and volunteers from Dorset Highways have generously given their time, energy and goods to install and connect the units to the mains services.”
The 901 square metre site at Mount Pleasant overflow car park in Weymouth was granted seven year planning permission in Feb 2021. It is managed by the charity with experienced and specialist support staff onsite 24/7.
Dorset Council is leasing part of the park and ride land to the charity at very low rates and they designed and installed sanitation, new roads and access routes. They oversaw the work to link in the required sanitation and utility services to the existing park and ride facilities. The council also fund two support workers through its Rough Sleeper Initiative.
Dorset Council’s Portfolio holder for Housing & Community Safety, Counsellor Graham Carr-Jones, added:
“We are thrilled to work in partnership with The Bus Shelter Dorset.
“This scheme gives people the opportunity to have a safe, warm and dry place to call home, whilst the agencies work together to find longer term solutions to enable them to get back on their feet.
“This scheme gives people the opportunity to have a safe, warm and dry place to call home, whilst the agencies work together to find longer term solutions to enable them to get back on their feet.
“This year, the council set out its five-year plan to tackle all forms of homelessness in Dorset and prevent it from happening.
“While we have done a great job in enabling people to sleep more soundly at night, we still have a small number of rough sleepers in the Dorset Council area whom we want to help.
“We’re doing everything we can to support rough sleepers. Providing an environment which can empower them to make positive life choices is a step in the right direction. Some people have already moved on to permanent accommodation, with assistance from support workers.
“This has been a project which has involved the input from many departments in the council, who have worked very hard to bring it together and we’re grateful to all involved.
“This has been a project which has involved the input from many departments in the council, who have worked very hard to bring it together and we’re grateful to all involved.”
Emily McCarron added:
“Homelessness can be around the corner for any of us, rich or poor. Especially, during the hardships the pandemic has brought to peoples lives. Loss of jobs, loved ones and relationships can rapidly spiral into anyone losing their home”.
“Our charity started with a double decker bus offering shelter to rough sleepers. Now we can offer safe accommodation and a vital lifeline with access to specialist services and ultimately, a step up into accommodation and employment.”
Anyone who would like to get involved and be part of our journey through volunteering, donations or help with specialist skills get in touch at thebusshelterdorset@gmail.com“.
If you are concerned about someone sleeping rough, please contact Streetlink by visiting www.streetlink.org.uk or call them on 0300 500 0914. StreetLink will pass the information to Julian House, who provide the council’s rough sleeper outreach service.