AN under-threat homeless shelter has been saved after it merged with a bigger charity.

Concerns had been raised in recent years that a funding crisis and staff problems at the Redbridge Night Shelter, in Ilford's York Road, could lead to the vital centre being shut down.

But now larger charity the Single Homeless Project (SHP) has agreed to step in and incorporate the facility into its London-wide network.

The SHP, which helps around 2,000 homeless people a year, already works in 13 London boroughs, and staff at the shelter hope its expertise will help secure the centre's future in helping Redbridge's needy.

The shelter, which was established 14 years ago by a coalition of the borough's churches, has seen a steady expansion over the past decade, going from a small group of unpaid workers to employing 20 members of staff and overseeing a volunteer network of 165 people.

A spokesman for the shelter said: "over the past two years there have been many developments in the way in which services and support to people who are homeless are provided which have made it very difficult for small single site charities to survive.

"Funding issues, legal issues regarding employment, regulatory issues, have all become difficult to manage without a larger management infrastructure than can be sustained by a single site organisation.

"We also came to understand that for staff, there would be more opportunities for them to access training and develop their careers in a larger organisation than we were able to provide."

Diana Roxburgh, the shelter's chair of trustees, said: "We are proud of what Redbridge Night Shelter has achieved, that its community base and the hard work of its staff have enabled us to reach our current level of development.

"We are confident that we are handing over an effective organisation to SHP, which will be building on what we have achieved, hopefully with the continued wonderful and generous support we have had over the years from the people of Redbridge."

Liz Rutherfoord, SHP’s chief executive said: "We are delighted to be given the opportunity to take forward this well loved and respected service which provides such essential accommodation and support to people in need in Redbridge."