St Peter De Beauvoir Town church is undergoing a £561,000 refurbishment, which will benefit local homeless people when it opens on 7 January.
The church has been part of the Islington Churches Cold Weather Shelter network for eight years, but its renovation promises a far more comfortable experience for the initiative’s rough sleepers.
Working in two distinct phases since summer 2010, builders will complete a made-over café and washing facilities just before Christmas. Situated in an expansive foyer below the main body of the church, this new-look area is known as “The Crypt”.
“It will certainly be a more pleasant place to be,” said volunteer Judith Hale. “The old kitchen area was horrible and the showers were not much better.
“That actually made the whole operation quite a haphazard affair, so we can take pride it organising ourselves a lot better now.”
A branch of registered charity CARIS, the shelter operates from January to March, aiming to find more permanent support for homeless people after accommodating them on a rota of different places each night for a maximum of two weeks.
St Peter’s, the only church over the Hackney border to participate, will house up to 20 men and women every Monday throughout that period.
Project co-ordinator Mark Brennan was extremely grateful and insisted that those involved would treat their surroundings with due respect.
“St Peter’s has been brilliant,” he said. “They have helped us out a lot and, in the eight years I have been involved, I have seen this industry grow rapidly – there are now homeless shelters in 23 London boroughs.
“Of course a few issues come hand-in-hand with homelessness – alcoholism and drug abuse, for example. We have a no-tolerance approach to violence, though.
“Last year, on the few occasions that there were problems, it was resolved outside the church because hospitality is our main message.”
Amanda Davies, a member of the De Beauvoir Association committee, oversaw a three-year fundraising offensive for the overhaul that encompassed various projects such as comedy nights and t-shirt sales, as well as donations from businesses.
She said: “Instead of just being a place for parishioners to come and worship, we wanted the church to reach out.
“The aim was not to make the building beautiful or to please the congregation – it was to meet whatever needs the community had.”
