Homeless shelter reopened after two years

Wednesday 26 February 2014

A homeless shelter that was closed for two years over financial problem reopened its doors yesterday.

Roseneath in St Helier shut in December 2011 when the trust that operated it ran out of money. The States took over the building and refurbished it, and opened the doors to residents just before Christmas in collaboration with The Shelter Trust.

The Lieutenant-Governor, General Sir John McColl, formally reopened the building yesterday morning. He is a patron of the Shelter Trust and has taken a close interest in the way that Jersey looks after homeless people since he came to the Island in 2011 not long before Roseneath closed its doors.

To get the site up and running again the States paid £40,000 for the building and spent £250,000 on refurbishment. It has been renamed Evans House after the late Winifred Evans, who left a generous bequest in her will that funded a large part of the work.

There were 17 occupants when Roseneath closed, and the new building has 22 single rooms. It will be staffed 24/7.

The Shelter Trust also runs emergency accommodation at Aztec House, a home for adults in Midvale Road and a home for young people aged between 16 and 25 at Strathmore (also in conjunction with the Health department).

Shelter Trust chairman Nick Gorrod said: “The opening of the new service has allowed us to secure single-room occupancy for homeless people, which is a long-term goal of the trust.

“We are indebted to all of those who have supported the project, particularly Winifred Evans and the Jersey Homeless Outreach Group, who provided much of the resource to furnish the sleeping rooms.”