HOMELESS people in Bolton will be given year round support after volunteers gave the thumbs up to keep the town's shelter open.

The homeless shelter was originally set up to offer winter warmth to rough sleepers and prostitutes.

But now the exciting project, spearheaded by Dave Bagley, will run throughout the summer.

A clinic has also just opened inside the Victorian mill offering advice and basic treatments to malnourished visitors.

Dave Bagley said: "It is official. We will be opening all year round. The volunteers decided if they wanted to make the shelter a year-round thing and 64 of them voted yes."

The shelter will no longer be open at weekends, but for two days during the week.

Criticism

Dave said: "We do come under a lot of criticism, but we rely very heavily on volunteers. If the volunteers don't want to work every night, then we won't be able to open every night.

"However, the shelter has been a real educational tool for schools and businesses in Bolton.

"Volunteers have become empowered to do something and this has made them change their attitudes to the homeless.

"Schoolchildren are also making these changes by wanting to help. Slowly, attitudes are changing. Many of the street people are just ordinary people who have fallen on bad times. It could happen to anybody."

A clinic and cafe will run at the Spa Road mill on Mondays and Thursdays, from 8pm to 10pm, throughout the year.