A MASSIVE effort was put in by a volunteer charity to help homeless people survive the treacherous winter months in the town.

As winter temperatures fell below minus five, the Bracknell based charity, Pilgrim Hearts Trust, helped more 60 homeless people survive the winter by providing food and a warm safe bed for the night for four months from December to March at the Bracknell Night Shelter.

This is understood to be the most homeless helped by the night shelter since it began work three years ago.

A special clinic run by doctors and nurses was on hand to deal with health problems encountered by people whose lives have hit rock bottom.

The Bracknell Night Shelter  was open for the coldest 4 months of winter from December until March and was staffed by a team of over 200 volunteers at 7 different church halls around Bracknell.

Elaine Chalmers Brown, director of the Pilgrim Hearts Trust, says its focus is on lifting the homeless out of poverty and ensuring that they are not in a position where they have to go back out on the streets.

She said: “The food and beds available at the night shelter is only the first step in our efforts.

“We run a drop-in centre at St Andrews Hall, Priestwood, twice a week, all year round, where we offer advice, training and support so that the homeless can find employment and a permanent home.”

The special clinic run by doctors and nurses is now expected to move to the drop-in centre now that the night shelter is closed.