Wrexham Night Shelter Appeal For Unwanted Presents

A night shelter in Wrexham are appealing for unwanted Christmas presents and donations off members of the public.

The Tŷ Nos Night Shelter managed by Clwyd Alyn Housing Association in Holt Road, Wrexham, is open every night of the year, including throughout the Christmas period, offering a vital lifeline to homeless people in the area.

In total the shelter has 16 beds and provides accommodation for both male and female service-users. In the last quarter of 2014 Ty Nos provided 1,352 overnight bed spaces to those in need.

Over Christmas Eve the shelter provided services for seven clients, with eight coming the following night on Christmas Day.

Senior Project Officer Andrew Edwards said: “If we hadn’t have been here, these people are likely to have been sleeping out on the streets. They come here as a last resort as they have nowhere else to go. Earlier in December we had to turn people away as all the places here were taken.

“While some may have been able to find a family member or friend to stay with on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day itself, homelessness is an all-year round issue and already we are seeing the numbers coming to us increasing once again. In the last quarter of 2014 we provided a total 1,352 overnight bed spaces which was slightly up on the same period of the previous year.”

Mr Edwards added that the overwhelming majority of service users were people who had previously been living in the Wrexham area for a number of years and who had found themselves homeless for a number of reasons.

Ty Nos are now appealing to members of the public to donate any unwanted Christmas presents they may have had to the shelter.

Mr Edwards said: “We are extremely grateful for all the support and assistance we have been given from local businesses and members of the community who have donated items over the year.

“If you do have any unwanted Christmas presents, particularly of toiletries or warm clothes such as socks, scarves and gloves etc., we’ll be happy to receive them. Items such as toothpaste and shower gel are also appreciated all year round.”

Any items can be left at the Holt Road Shelter after 7 pm or can be dropped off at the Foyer Complex in Crescent Road Wrexham between 9 am and 5 pm.