A WINCHESTER homeless charity is opening its doors to the public on Saturday (Feb 7).

Winchester Churches Nightshelter, on Jewry Street, is set to have an open day between 11am-3pm.

The event aims to give people the chance to drop in to see first-hand how the charity works.

Visitors will be able to chat to staff, volunteers as well as residents to find out about life inside the centre.

Manager Michele Price said: “We often find that when people are asked to imagine what the Nightshelter is like inside, they conjure up an image of a large, unfriendly space with rows and rows of beds, no privacy for the residents, where people are treated like a number rather than as a person – in other words, a cold and lonely place to be.

“The truth however is very different,” she added. “We try to make the Nightshelter as much like a home as possible, where residents feel safe, comfortable and cared for. By opening our doors to the public we want to challenge perceptions of homelessness and let people see this for themselves.”

Residents will also be showcasing their cookery skills with a range of cakes and savoury snacks, produced during the charity’s weekly cooking workshops, which will be on offer free of charge along with tea and coffee.

Call 01962 862050 or email admin@wcns.org.uk for more information and directions.