Mansfield Homeless Network is providing a winter night shelter, delivered by Mansfield District Council in partnership with Derby City Mission, for those homeless and sleeping rough.

It will be open three nights a week, for two weeks, from Saturday, 23rd December, providing overnight accommodation on Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights for local homeless people. Breakfast and evening meals will be provided by a team of volunteers.

In addition to the winter shelter, local soup kitchens, charities and foodbanks operate and other support is offered through the year to provide food for homeless people and rough sleepers.

Coun Barry Answer, portfolio holder for housing at Mansfield District Council, said: “I’m pleased that we have been able to establish a winter shelter to help local homeless people again this year. It is through work with our partners that we are able to offer this support.

“The night shelter is a resource we operate in addition to the emergency accommodation we, as a council, have a duty to provide when the temperature falls.

“The winter shelter is still looking for volunteers and donations to support its work. For more information contact the co-ordinator, Phil Morton, at [email protected]”

The council said if you know or see anyone who is homeless and in need of support this Christmas, contact Framework’s homeless reporting line on 0800 066 5356, and select option 2.