Winter is finally upon us, and the many homeless in the borough will find themselves freezing in the streets, with little food to eat, and will need somewhere warm and friendly to help get themselves through the cold, rain and ice.

Which is where Hackney Winter Night Shelter comes in. Run by volunteers from Hackney churches and the local community, HWNS provide a meal and a bed for homeless people at seven different venues around Hackney. The are open overnight, from beginning January to end March, and offer free food and accommodation. Drugs and alcohol are not allowed on the premises.

Last year the Shelter was open from 30th Dec 2010 to 1st April 2011. In that time, they accommodated up to 25 people each night, and supplied a total of: 2205 breakfasts, 2205 suppers and 2205 beds for the night.

92 different people stayed at the shelter, including 11 women. They also helped 62 people to find accommodation, and continue to work with others.

Over 500 volunteers from the Hackney community made this possible, while their Link Worker and Support Workers are continuing to work with people to help them get off the streets, and provide continuing support for those who have moved into accommodation.