Sad day for homeless people in Walthamstow as Branches day centre closes (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Sad day for homeless people in Walthamstow as Branches day centre closes

3:23pm Friday 3rd July 2009 in

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A DAY centre for the homeless closes today leaving many users feeling displaced.

Homeless charity Branches has been running a daily drop-in service in Forest Road, Walthamstow, for four years where homeless people could get a hot lunch, a shower, see a nurse and seek advice about housing and employment.

The charity is changing status to become a hostel and has received Government funding to build a centre giving overnight residents their own room and improved facilities. But a shortfall of funding means that it can no longer afford to staff a day centre.

Wayne Hewitt, 32, has been a regular user of the day centre since he became homeless seven years ago.

He said: “Where will I get a shower and shave? If you are homeless it is the first thing you want to do in the morning. I will have to use Walthamstow library toilets to have a wash.

“Branches try their best, you cannot blame them for that, but how will I get to another drop in centre when I have no money?”

John Carey, 44, is one of the homeless residents who will benefit from the new hostel facilities but says he feels sorry for the day centre users.

He said: “A lot of people are upset about it. There is a soup kitchen at 8pm but it is a long wait in the day for that. And having a drop in centre keeps down crime on the streets.”

Branches boss Peter Baldwin, who has seen the centre grow from users sleeping on church floors to a hostel, said he has mixed feelings about the change and feels bad for the 20 or so homeless people hanging around the day centre today who will be turned away at 5pm.

He said: “We can get them onto the waiting list for the hostel but they will have to go elsewhere in the meantime.

“We can make sure they know about other drop-in centres and help them get the help they need. We want to make sure that these people are not displaced.

“It is great to be having the hostel but sad to be losing the day centre.”

Using a £2.5 million pound Government grant, the existing building will be demolished in August and a four-storey building with 27 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms will be built in its place.

But Mr Baldwin said the grant cannot be used for running costs and the charity cannot meet the costs of staffing a day centre and hostel.

The charity is working with two Walthamstow churches, one of which runs a drop-in centre three days a week and one which is expected to open one in three to four weeks.

Hostel residents have moved into at a refurbished building run by Branches in Langthorne Road, Leytonstone until the new hostel is built.

If anyone sees someone sleeping rough, Branches would like to be contacted so it can try to help them. It is also seeking volunteers. Contact Peter Baldwin on 8556 2333.