Support sees winter shelter success

OVER three-hundred volunteers helped provide more than seven-hundred beds for homeless people during this year’s Bendigo Winter Nights Shelter.

The organisation, which started in 2019 has provides food, shelter and companionship for those in need during the winter months.

Treasurer and acting secretary of BWNS Geoff Young said this year they raised $10,000, and their work would not be possible without the support of local organisations, community groups and individual donors.

“We didn’t go out there and broadcast, we don’t fundraise,” he said. “We’ve got a fundraising sub-committee and we did meet a few times in 2019 but we haven’t met since because we don’t feel the need to go out and jump up and down and ask people to support us.”

BWNS was formed as an outreach for the churches of all Christian faiths in Bendigo to provide support for the homeless.

Traditionally the shelter uses church halls to provide temporary accommodation, however due to COVID-19 BWNS formed an agreement with the Bendigo Scout Group to use Koolamurt Scout Camp, which has a commercial kitchen and laundry facilities, as a venue.

This year, the shelter served 29 guests, eight guests each night, for 92 nights.

Mr Young said going further BWNS will decide whether to use both Koolamurt and the churches or just the churches, while the possibility of finding a permanent location remains.

“We felt that we wanted to connect again with the churches where it was possible, because that’s where the program came from,” he said.

“We have been in some discussion about setting up a drop-in centre that would run all year, particularly on the weekends, because that’s when homeless people who need something find it difficult.”

BWNS works alongside organisations such as Madcow, Vinnies, the Salvation Army and Haven; Home, Safe and Mr Young said the aim of the shelter is to see its guests have some kind of employment and permanent accommodation.

“We’re providing another service, and obviously we’re not necessarily qualified but we can tap into the services of the qualified people within those organisations,” he said.

“Homeless people know these agencies, they’ve got connections with them, we’re just becoming part of a wider network and we’re bringing with us all of these volunteers passionate about the cause.”

Mr Young said the support from local organisations and services has helped them significantly.

This has included Fosterville Gold Mine funding gas and electricity bills, the City of Greater Bendigo subsidising cleaning costs and installing smoke detectors, and even Bendigo Drycleaners washing sleeping gear free of charge.

“Bendigo drycleaners, you look at the number of organisations they support by doing exactly what they’re doing for us,” he said. “You almost wonder how they find time to dry clean anything for anyone who’s paying for it.

“The Bendigo Winter Night Shelter couldn’t operate without the support it receives, both from its volunteers but also local business and community organisations.”