This year, the university will work alongside homeless charity Emmanuel House to re-open its Winter Shelter on University Park campus.

From Monday 17 October, the charity will offer short-term emergency accommodation for up to 27 people per night until April 2023.

24-hour support will be offered in an unused university building, giving people shelter, warmth and three meals a day.

Ashley Roberts, Head of Campus Services, is leading the project for the university and said:

“It’s fantastic to be able to work with Emmanuel House again this year and put an otherwise empty property to good use.

Last winter it was great to see the university community coming together to support the charity, with lots of donations and volunteers offering their time to help in the shelter.

I’m sure our staff and students will get behind Emmanuel House once again this winter and make it a successful partnership.”

University of Nottingham Students’ Union Community Officer Daisy Forster said: “It’s amazing to see the university helping the community in such an active way, especially when it is such an important time to give back.

Students are a remarkable asset to the city, and I really hope to get many of them involved with volunteering at the shelter.”

Last year’s Winter Shelter, which was open between November 2021 and March 2022, provided 2,067 nights’ protection for 72 people. 37 of these people were supported into longer-term secure accommodation.

Denis Tully, CEO at Emmanuel House said:

“The Winter Shelter will provide what we anticipate as much-needed respite accommodation for people who would otherwise rough sleep during the coldest and wettest months of the year.

“Staff along with volunteers have been working hard to get everything in place in the venue on the University of Nottingham campus.

“The Winter Shelter is not an end in itself, but a means of supporting people into more permanent accommodation solutions.”

The university is able to offer accommodation to Emmanuel House at a cost-neutral rate and will be working with the charity to support people in searching for jobs, finding permanent accommodation and accessing other services.

Emmanuel House is currently looking for volunteers and sessional staff to work at the Winter Shelter, with 66 people volunteering to help out last year.

Information on volunteering, job vacancies and fundraising can be found on the Emmanuel House website.