ALMOST 80 people used Derby's night shelter in its first month of operation this winter, including the recent cold snap.
Staff from Derby City Mission, which operates the night shelter at a different church in the city each evening for up to 35 people, are bracing themselves for possible further cold weather.
Phil Morton, Derby Nightshelter manager, said: "We saw a definite increase during the colder nights, but it has tailed off again now the milder weather has arrived.
"Before the cold snap we had on average of 15 people staying each night and during the cold period this increased to 20 per night.
"But there were some nights, when the weather was at its coldest, that we had the maximum number of people come in to get warm and have a meal.
"They didn't sleep, and that's not something we wanted to encourage, but decided to allow it because of the cold."
The night shelter was first set up in December 2013 through to the end of March 2014 in an attempt to prevent rough sleepers dying on Derby's streets over the winter.
It attracted more than 200 different people over the four months and a large number of them were successfully given advice and help about changing their lifestyle – another aim of the Derby Nightshelter project.
The current project started on December 1, 2014, and will run to the end of March, costing about £75,000, which is raised through donations.
A Christmas dinner at Ozzy Road Baptist Church served 71 people, thanks to volunteers who gave up their time.
Mr Morton said: "I think the success we have had in supporting the people who stayed here last year has meant there have been slightly lower numbers staying this year.
"We are working much harder this year at trying to help and move on our guests much quicker and we have already helped six guests to find accommodation. But while there are 79 different people still looking for a bed for the night, there is still a need in our city."
Donations are always welcome and currently gloves and socks are desperately needed. Anyone wanting to donate can call Derby 460346.
