A Wensleydale business is helping the district council to help the homeless during the coronavirus crisis.
The Jonas Trust, based in Redmire, is providing log cabin accommodation to those presenting themselves as homeless to Richmondshire District Council.
The Jonas Centre, which is currently closed to the public, has offered its self-contained cabins to homeless households during the pandemic.
One of the people recently accommodated there has thanked The Jonas Trust and the council team saying that it had “saved me in more ways than you could realise.”
“At a time when we all need to work collaboratively, I am privileged to know that our working partnership with the district council has offered such crucial support to some of the most vulnerable in our community,” said Director of The Jonas Centre, Simon Eastwood.
Callum McKeon, the council’s Corporate Director said the council has an obligation to procure accommodation for homeless people who would otherwise be street homeless to protect their health.
“The log cabins have been generously offered to our housing options service and have already been used by people that would otherwise be homeless at this time,” he said.
“This generous offer from The Jonas Centre is most welcome at a time when both the private and public sector organisations need to work together. These self-contained units allow people to maintain good personal hygiene whilst we work to secure longer term solutions for them.”
“We are committed to safeguarding as many homeless people we can from Covid-19.”
Anyone struggling with homelessness – or knows of homeless people – should contact the council on 01748 829100.
The Jonas Trust are a lovely team – typical of their caring ethos.