8:40am Thursday 10th April 2008
By Alex Lewis
THE Open Door shelter for the homeless has received a huge £525,000 grant for a major rebuild.
It plans to completely reshape its accommodation in Bricket Road, St Albans, to provide more privacy, together with training and educational facilities to offer hope of employment to the long-term homeless.
District council leader Robert Donald said: "It is a lot of money - this is very good news."
The cash should secure the long-term future of the shelter, which was forced to slash its hot lunch service last year after it lost funding from the West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust.
David Bogle, chief executive of the Hightown Praetorian and Churches Housing Association which runs Open Door, said: "This is great news - I really welcome this extra funding.
"We hope to introduce separate accommodation for clients which will help to promote dignity and self-esteem.
"We want to support homeless people to gain the self confidence necessary to access housing and employment by introducing daytime training and education activities involving internet and computer access, as well as taster sessions in an educational setting."
Open Door, which provides overnight accommodation for up to 20 homeless people, was selected by housing minister Yvette Cooper to get £525,000, one of a mere six projects nationwide to win cash from the Government's Places of Change Programme.
Although one rebuild scheme has already been given planning permission, Open Door is now planning a more ambitious £930,000 project, with trustees pledging a major fundraising drive over the next year to bridge the gap.
Mr Bogle said: "The people of St Albans, particularly through the churches, have been very generous in supporting Open Door in the past, and with their help I am sure we get there.
"The whole place will get a much-needed facelift."
It is not clear quite how the existing five dormitories will be restructured, but while single rooms are unlikely Mr Bogle hopes to provide the homeless people with a degree of personal privacy.
Open Door's grant comes on top of £149,000 extra government money for Martin's Trust, a longer term homeless shelter in Lattimore Road.
The district council supported Open Door's bid for government cash, and head of housing Karen Dragovic said: "This is good news for the district. It will help not only to improve the accommodation for single people at Open Door but also the services available to homeless people to help them access permanent housing and employment opportunities."
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