OVER three-hundred volunteers helped provide more than seven-hundred beds for homeless people during this year\u2019s Bendigo Winter Nights Shelter.<\/p>\n
The organisation, which started in 2019 has provides food, shelter and companionship for those in need during the winter months.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t go out there and broadcast, we don\u2019t fundraise,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a fundraising sub-committee and we did meet a few times in 2019 but we haven\u2019t met since because we don\u2019t feel the need to go out and jump up and down and ask people to support us.\u201d<\/p>\n
BWNS was formed as an outreach for the churches of all Christian faiths in Bendigo to provide support for the homeless.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
This year, the shelter served 29 guests, eight guests each night, for 92 nights.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt that we wanted to connect again with the churches where it was possible, because that\u2019s where the program came from,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been in some discussion about setting up a drop-in centre that would run all year, particularly on the weekends, because that\u2019s when homeless people who need something find it difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re providing another service, and obviously we\u2019re not necessarily qualified but we can tap into the services of the qualified people within those organisations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHomeless people know these agencies, they\u2019ve got connections with them, we\u2019re just becoming part of a wider network and we\u2019re bringing with us all of these volunteers passionate about the cause.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Young said the support from local organisations and services has helped them significantly.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cBendigo drycleaners, you look at the number of organisations they support by doing exactly what they\u2019re doing for us,\u201d he said. \u201cYou almost wonder how they find time to dry clean anything for anyone who\u2019s paying for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Bendigo Winter Night Shelter couldn\u2019t operate without the support it receives, both from its volunteers but also local business and community organisations.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
OVER three-hundred volunteers helped provide more than seven-hundred beds for homeless people during this year\u2019s 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 […]<\/p>\n