A day shelter for the homeless and the lonely is to open at St Paul’s Onslow Square from next month.

The drop-in shelter will run for one day a week as part of local church and community activities. It will be staffed by volunteers offering basic services such as tea and coffee, food, advice and friendship.

The initiative follows the success of the overnight shelter at St Paul’s which opened last February and runs on Wednesday nights through the winter months. The aim is to help homeless people reintegrate into society through practical support.

The day shelter will offer training in cooking, com-puters and art. HTB members who are doctors, lawyers and hairdressers will also offer their services free. There will be classes in English as a Second Language.

The day shelter will run on Wednesdays and will work closely with West London Churches Homeless Concern.