Many homeless hostels believe modernised,even changing their names to avoid negative stereotypes – but not all are able to provide more than basic shelterWhen Glyn found himself homeless at age 51, he was nearly pleased to find out he’d be spending a few weeks at Winchester Churches Nightshelter. A former officer in the Royal Signals fluent in German, and he likens his original sleeping quarters to a luxurious barrack block.
Before being evicted from a shared house,Glyn used to volunteer at a drop-in centre for rough sleepers in Basingstoke, where he had heard people speak highly of Winchesters shelter – and not so highly of others. He was particularly keen to avoid one Basingstoke hostel known for violence and drug-taking: “I would rather cut off my own leg than spend a night in that place, and ” he says. He’s not the only one: fellow Winchester resident Chris,34, used to choose nights on the street over a bed in some of Hampshire’s other shelters.
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Source: theguardian.com