Thirty-five people living on the streets of Waltham Forest have been fed, showered and given a bed for the night in the last week, with scores more expected to turn to churches as the darker nights draw in.

Two hundred volunteers will work over the next four months to open up a different church hall in the borough every night and help people off of the streets.

Since 2009 charity Forest Church Emergency Night Shelters has been keeping people out of the cold and trying to resolve the issues that keep them sleeping rough.

Last year 109 individuals were fed, clothed and supported by the charity.

Since opening on November 1 this year, 35 people have turned up to seek help.

The charity will open every night until March 2015.

Corinna Creasy is a trustee of the charity, but was one of the first volunteers when the project was launched.

“They have to be registered and there is a risk assessment done” she said.

“There is no alcohol allowed in any of the churches and they must be here by 8pm. They already know if they have a bed because they call the support worker who arranges it.

“Already we have seen 35 people. Strictly speaking we will offer them shelter for 28 days.

“The support worker does as much as he can to help them. It is not just a case of giving them a bed for the night; we want to get them of the street for good. They are put in touch with other charities like Turning Point.”

Each night the 30 men and women are offered food, drinks, showers and clothes when they are available.

A sleeping bag is provided to each person and they are given breakfast before they leave.

Staff at the charity stay awake in case anybody wants to talk to them overnight and men and women are kept apart.

Mrs Creasy said they are unsure of what to expect this year.

She said: “Last year we had a chap come out of the forest, he was adamant he was going to save enough money to find somewhere to live.

“We see many different people. It is no good saying that most of them are not eastern European, they are, because they have no recourse to public funds.

“We also see people who have lived in the borough their entire life. We saw more women last year, which was strange, but I don’t know how busy we will be this year.”

For more information visit http://forestnightshelter.org.uk/.