Hackney Night Shelter

When reflecting on her experience at the shelter she said "it is safe, clean, the staff and volunteers are familiar and the food is good" and said the best thing about her stay was meeting new people from different countries.

Today not only is the sun shining on the lovely plants in our courtyard, we were also really pleased to see two shelter guests move on positively! One of them was a 20 year old woman who had been sleeping rough in Brent before coming to the shelter and moved today to supported housing.

We received a lovely note from a guest after she moved out recently 💙 Before she came to the shelter, she was dealing with a relationship breakdown and losing employment. After staying at the shelter for a few weeks, she was able to secure a place in supported housing.

Hackney Night Shelter Sleep Out 2025 Back for a third year, the Sleep Out is an opportunity to connect as a community, raising funds and awareness about our vital work providing routes out of homelessness.

This year has seen the highest numbers of rough sleeping on record in London, while many more people face hidden homelessness.

There's still time to donate to keep Hackney Night Shelter's vital service running: www.justgiving.com/campaign/hns...

On the night we heard from former guests about their experiences and enjoyed hot soup, cakes and live music. So far the team has raised over £14,000 which could support 8 guests with 28 nights stay at the shelter including hot meals and support into longer term accommodation.

Not meant to replicate what it's actually like to sleep rough, the team had facilities available to make the night safe and comfortable unlike the harsh, dangerous reality that more than 13,000 people rough sleeping in London had to face over the last year.

On Friday 10 October,World Homelessness Day,30 people took part in the sponsored Sleep Out raising funds to support Hackney Night Shelter to stay open every night of the year providing emergency shelter, hot meals and structured support into settled accommodation for people experiencing homelessness

Hackney Night Shelter Sleep Out 2025 Back for a third year, the Sleep Out is an opportunity to connect as a community, raising funds and awareness about our vital work providing routes out of homelessness.

By donating to the sponsored Sleep Out you can help us continue creating routes out of homelessness for another 200 people each year www.justgiving.com/campaign/hns...

Your support provides more than just a bed each night, Hackney Night Shelter offers hot meals,a warm safe place for people to rest as well as support into settled accommodation. Over the past week 4 guest have moved on positively to their own longer term places.

1 day to go until the Sleep Out! While the team taking on this fundraising event will have comforts like toilets and food, it will be nothing like the harsh, unsafe conditions faced by more than 13,000 people in 2024/5 sleeping rough in London.

Get involved:
🤝Sign up to the Sleep Out www.tickettailor.com/events/hackn...

🤝Share this post

🤝Donate to the Sleep Out campaign www.justgiving.com/campaign/hns...

Tarp on grass. Text: 5. Challenge yourself and inspire others to take action

5. Challenge yourself and inspire others to take action. 1 night under the stars makes a huge difference to over 200 people each year who would otherwise be sleeping on the street. With your support we can continue providing emergency bed spaces, hot meals and structured support into settled housing

Bed. Text: 4. Raise awareness about homelessness in London.

4. Raise awareness about homelessness in London, which continues to face the sharpest rise in rough sleeping. Hear from former guests who stayed at the shelter and how staying at Hackney Night Shelter helped transform their lives.

Sleeping bags. Text: 3. Take part in a great team building opportunity with colleagues.

3. Take part in a great team building opportunity with colleagues while supporting routes out of homelessness.

Table and chairs. Text: 2. Help keep our shelter open all year round

2. Help keep our shelter open all year round. As a local independent charity, community fundraising events like the Sleep Out are crucial for us to stay open every night of the year and provide routes out of homelessness. Hackney Night Shelter provides emergency shelter for over 200 people each year

Group of people. Text: 1. Join Together as a Community.

1. Join together as a community. Join shelter volunteers, supporters, members of the local community and staff teams who are taking part in the challenge. Enjoy an evening of live music, soup and cakes before bedding down for the night. We'll also have a big cooked breakfast together in the morning.

Person smiling. Text: 5 Reasons to Join our Sleep Out.

Here's 5 reasons to join the Sleep Out:

🌟HACKNEY NIGHT SHELTER'S ANNUAL SLEEP OUT IS BACK🌟We need YOU to make it the best one yet!
On Friday 10 October we'll be sleeping out in the grounds of St John of Jerusalem Church. The Sleep Out is in no way meant to replicate what its like to sleep rough but instead raise funds for the shelter

We echo the call of many other homelessness and migrant organisations across the country urging the Home Office to extend the move-on period and provide more robust support during this transition period to prevent homelessness.

on the streets. It is especially alarming to put more people at risk of rough sleeping not only as winter is approaching, but also amid the climate of hostility towards migrants.

In December 2024, the 'move on' period was extended to 56 days, which was a step in the right direction. So, to revert back to 28 days is a step backwards. It leaves people who have been through traumatic experiences fleeing violence, conflict and persecution to face stressful, unsafe conditions

Many people are given leave to remain without sufficient time to find work, housing or to integrate into UK society. This means many people are left destitute, having been not allowed to work while seeking asylum.

Since 2023 we have seen a huge increase in refugees sleeping rough after being evicted from asylum-seeker accommodation. We've seen this shift reflected at our shelter, with 68% of guests over the past year being refugees.

Move on period for new refugees to find accommodation cut back to 28 days

🧵Move on period for new refugees to find accommodation cut back to 28 days - read our response www.hackneydoorways.org.uk/articles/mov...

Settlement Support Worker (temporary position) | Hackney Night Shelter

We are recruiting for a Resettlement Support Worker
to assist our guests moving on to longer term accommodation. Find out more about the role and how to apply (closing date 31 August):
www.hackneydoorways.org.uk/pages/job-va...

Stand Up For The Shelter Buy tickets for Stand Up For The Shelter at Backyard Comedy Club London. Tickets and information for Stand Up For The Shelter Mon, 7th Jul 2025 @ 19:30 - 22:15 in London.

TONIGHT! Come along to a night of laughter in support of Hackney Night Shelter -starting at 8pm, Backyard Comedy Club www.designmynight.com/london/bars/...

YouTube video by Carolin Stories on a Bench | Mark

Mark, Director of Hackney Doorways recently featured in the latest episode of @storiesonabench with @itsmecarolinp - watch the full video and hear his reflections on working in the homelessness sector for many years > www.youtube.com/watch?v=1why...

We also discussed the range of issues that are causing people to experience homelessness, such as the huge increase in refugees becoming homeless after receiving their status and being evicted from Home Office accommodation which has continued since autumn 2023.

This week we had an insightful volunteer learning evening where we heard from Prakash, Rough Sleeping Coordinator for Hackney and Colleen, our Shelter Coordinator about homelessness in Hackney and Hackney Night Shelter's role as one of very few year-round night shelter services in London.

However the number of social rent homes is yet to be announced. To tackle the homelessness crisis we need more truly affordable housing.