A WINCHESTER homeless service has backed city council efforts to increase provision in the city.

As reported in last week's Chronicle, the city council has signed up to the Government's Gold Standard for Homelessness Prevention programme, receiving a £1.7m grant as part of the deal.

Michele Price, who manages Winchester Churches Nightshelter, said she wanted to discuss the programme with government officials before taking a stance on it but was now in full support.

She said: “I had a meeting with people who are in charge of it and I think it's great that there is a standard across the UK and that Winchester is going to be one of the places signing up to it.

“We work very closely with the city council and housing officers and regularly get involved in their meetings. We are involved in the 'No Second Night Out' programme and try to help the city out with beds where we can, but it is a short term solution for people who may have been made homeless after losing their jobs or family breakdown, rather than long term rough sleepers.”

She added the priority was to work with the council to move people through the system into permanent housing.

Ms Price said: “I think we are all trying to sort out the homeless pathway, trying to help people on the journey to develop the skills to live independently. We work with the council to help people find permanent accommodation and we run classes here like learning how to cook meals on £10 a week.

“We have also partnered with Penyards to help people learn how to find places and know what to look out for and what questions they need to ask.”