The First Specialist LGBTQ Homeless Shelter In The World Opens In London.
Local charity The Outside Project is running a temporary shelter on the upper floor of the disused Clerkenwell fire station, for at least a year, while grassroots outreach group Streets Kitchen will work alongside other agencies, such as Stonewall Housing, to run an advice centre downstairs.
A spokesperson said: “I’m really pleased they are putting it into use. And it will be the first LGBTQ+ community centre we have had that centres homelessness in our community. That’s really important. It’s a massive site – it will be the biggest LGBTQ+ centre we have had in London. This is the one shelter specifically for our community and obviously the community centre will shelter the most vulnerable members of our community and that’s the key thing we really need.”
Islington Council is in talks with London Mayor Sadiq Khan to secure funding to buy the station from the London Fire Commissioner so it can be converted into “genuinely affordable homes”. The station has cost the taxpayer more than £500,000 in security and maintenance since Boris Johnson controversially closed it alongside nine others in 2014, to cut costs.
Mayor Khan, who’s provided £50,000 towards the shelter, said: “It is wrong that so many buildings across London stand empty when there’s a housing crisis and when they could be used to help homeless Londoners. The level of homelessness is a national disgrace and we need to do all we can to help people off the streets. That’s why we’re increasing City Hall’s rough sleeping budget to twice what it was when I took office – and making sure the former Clerkenwell fire station building is put to good use, rather than standing there empty after it was shut by the previous mayor. I urge businesses and private developers to follow this example and offer any empty spaces they own so we can put them to use helping London’s homeless too.”
Research by Stonewall Housing and other agencies show that LGBTIQ+ people are at greater risk of both rough sleeping and hidden homelessness. Whilst homeless, LGBTIQ+ people are also significantly more likely to experience targeted violence, sexual exploitation, substance misuse, and physical and mental health problems.
Islington’s housing chief Cllr Diarmaid Ward said: “As I understand it, it’s going to be the fist specialist LGBTQ homeless shelter in the world, and that’s very exciting – and it’s happening right in our borough. I’m really pleased The Outside Project and Streets Kitchen are doing it because there are really valuable partners of the council. So it’s great. So many of our grassroots groups are coming together to do something really special in the borough. Homelessness across London is a massive issue and the only way we are going to solve it is to get to grips with dysfunctional private sector, end austerity and build council homes.”
Jon Glackin of Streets Kitchen will be helping to run the project. Jon said: “It will be a day centre service with tea, coffee, lunch, breakfast – all that stuff. I can get all the services I need to come in and work with us. People can’t believe what’s happening in Islington.”
