New 24/7 Stonepillow hostel in Bognor will '˜change lives'

Homelessness charity Stonepillow is set to open its new 24/7 hostel in Bognor on Monday, after months of effort and planning.
Karen Shelley, Bognor Hostel & Hub Manager, with members of the Stonepillow Team at the new hostel in  Ellasdale Road.Karen Shelley, Bognor Hostel & Hub Manager, with members of the Stonepillow Team at the new hostel in  Ellasdale Road.
Karen Shelley, Bognor Hostel & Hub Manager, with members of the Stonepillow Team at the new hostel in Ellasdale Road.

The service in Ellasdale Road will provide 16 en-suite rooms to vulnerable people to enable them to start achieving stability and move on to more suitable accommodation.

It is intended to replace the existing hostel in Glenlogie basement, which currently opens from 6pm to 8am each evening and sleeps ten in small dormitory-style rooms.

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Fiona Macleod, director of operations said: “It can be difficult for people to engage in the evening due to the short amount of time between them accessing, eating and going to bed – they are often extremely tired and hungry from being on the streets all day.

“A 24-hour provision will alleviate these issues and provide more positive outcomes for those rough sleeping in the local area.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to every single person that donated to our appeal and made this possible.

“With your support we can continue to help people change their lives.”

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To complete the project, Stonepillow gained the support of several donors and grants, such as £20,000 a year for the next three years from the Sussex Community Foundation.

Other funding includes £537,370 from Homelessness Change, a form of Department of Health funding administered via Homes England.

Carol Cairns, Homes England’s head of home ownership and supply in the South East, said: “It’s fantastic to see how this funding is making a real difference in providing modern accommodation for local people experiencing homelessness.”

Stonepillow has issued an open invite to anyone who would like to visit the new hostel at 15 Ellasdale Road (PO22 2SG) on Tuesday, June 26, from 2pm to 4pm.

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Artists are being sought to help finish off the project on the opening day by painting a decorative mural. Those who wish to attend the opening should email [email protected].

Donations are needed to supply the hostel with various utensils. A wish list is on Twitter at @StonepillowChi.