IT'S first thing on a Monday morning and everything is peaceful.

After a brisk walk from the Hampshire Chronicle offices, up the hill and through rain showers, I am let in to the Winchester Beacon, the city's homeless shelter in Jewry Street, through a buzzer system.

I am here for the first of a series of volunteering days set up by Newsquest, which owns and publishes the Hampshire Chronicle.

A new company initiative allows staff to be paid for a full day spent at a charity, organisation or good cause on its patch.

READ MORE: Winchester Churches Nightshelter becomes Winchester Beacon

After speaking to the Beacon for several stories already this year, and the fact that it may be one of the closest charities to our office, operating, like us, right in the heart of Winchester, it was an obvious choice.

Hampshire Chronicle: Editor of the Hampshire Chronicle Kimberley Barber at the Winchester Beacon on a volunteering day

Homelessness is a big issue for the city, a short walk around the city centre will show anyone that it's a problem that needs urgent attention.

Sleeping bags piled in doorways, begging, even people sleeping on the cold pavement, it's a common site in the city, and one that's in sharp contrast with the public perception of Winchester with its cathedral, historic buildings and high prices.

At the Beacon, they help provide emergency shelter. People need to be referred, but once in, it's a chance to get that foot on the ladder back into 'normal' life.

The charity, which has been going since 1988, recently changed names from Winchester Churches Nightshelter to Winchester Beacon, in a bid to better reflect the service that it provides.

The pandemic saw it shift from just offering night services, to offering 24 hour facilities, with people locked down.

Surprising, the charity said that this enforced change, was actually a positive one, and although it comes with an obvious increase in operating costs, it allowed them to provided a safe space all day, enabling them to offer extra support and services such as cooking classes, financial coaching and counselling, meaning their residents were more stable and able to move on to the next step quicker.

Another positive change was the switch to single rooms. The Beacon adapted its rooms during the pandemic so it now provides 10 single rooms, giving people that extra bit of security, space and dignity.

I am given a tour, and there are a few workers and volunteers quietly carrying out duties, such as cleaning, admin and setting up for counselling sessions.

One resident is watching television in the lounge, while others are either in their rooms or out at work or at various events.

The Beacon provides a hot evening meal, and a lot of that is donated to the centre and stored in five chest freezers.

My first task is to clean, defrost and organise, it's no small task, but obviously an important one to make sure that nothing goes to waste.

After a few hours scraping, spraying and labelling, I am in the office for some admin work, and get to meet some of the volunteers and workers who make the place tick.

Residents pop in, as with anything in life there's good news and bad, one resident is preparing to move out the next day and is excitedly planning their flat layout, while another is called in for an emergency therapy session after a family matter has not gone the way they expected.

As well as the residents, people pop up to the hatch, which is manned by Paul Braithwaite today, and he deals with their enquiries - everything from a request for boiling water in a flask, a call to their mother, to donations from the local WI - with a smile and patience.

Hampshire Chronicle: Getting stuck in Getting stuck in

Chief executive Michele Price is also around, speaking to people, and ensuring the place is running correctly.

SEE ALSO: Winchester households pushed into homelessness during pandemic

A rota is pinned to the door, with red pins marking the days the centre needs volunteers, it's clear to see that this place requires a huge undertaking from the community to keep going.

But the centre is an excellent example of Winchester showing that it cares, and volunteering here is a proactive way of doing something about an issue that most of us see every single day.

As well as donations, of money and products, they need volunteers for a variety of roles. If you can help, go to wcns.org.uk

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Kimberley Barber