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Homeless people, alcoholics, drug addicts, "sex industry workers" and others on the edge of society are being helped through a successful initiative backed by churches, Bolton Council, local firms and individual volunteers.

Bolton Winter Watch operates a weekend cafe/night shelter in the former probation offices in Queen Street, behind Bolton Central Police Station.

There were just four visitors when it opened on January 3 after a great deal of work - supported enthusiastically by Bolton Council - to make it suitable.

As is the way with these things, the word is now on the streets and there were 205 people there over a recent weekend.

It opens between 8pm and 8am on Fridays and Saturdays and from 8pm until 12.30pm on Sundays.

This will continue until the end of this month when it will shut for a short break.

It could re-open at different times during the summer and it is hoped Winter Watch will be repeated later in the year - elsewhere should the building be demolished to make way for a new Bolton magistrates' court complex.

In the meantime the needy and lonely receive free food and drink, clothes, somewhere to chat and a shower, if needed.

Chiropodists and hairdressers provide services and volunteers include off-duty nurses and doctors.

There are settees and comfortable chairs for people to sleep all night, if they wish.

Basic advice is available on matters such as housing, health and drugs.

But the attitude of everybody involved is strictly non-judgemental and there is no preaching to some of those who might well benefit from a degree of conversion.Some trouble-makers have been banned in the past, but generally speaking those who turn-up - some have been drinking or taking drugs - tend to respond to the welcoming atmosphere.

Volunteers do not initiate conversations with clients other than to ask them how they are.

It is for clients to disclose information or ask for advice.

I spent an hour or so down there and I was extremely impressed with the way the good-natured volunteers handle people who clearly have the potential to cause difficulties.

There was a constant stream of requests for such things as boots, jeans, socks and other items of clothing.

If they have them among items donated by members of the public they hand them over with a smile.

While photographer Gary Taylor was taking a picture of the volunteers I began to worry a little about the likely reaction when we came to seek pictures of the clients.

To my surprise, several made it clear they actively wanted to be photographed for the BEN.

Jamie (23) and Jason (19), who both said they were homeless and slept "here and there", posed happily in the area where smoking is allowed near a prominent "No Drugs" notice.

"This one of the best places I have been to," Jamie said.

"I think it is good for the community, you know what I mean?"

In the dining area Phil, aged 28, tucked into his meal with relish and explained that he was originally from Bury and had been homeless in Bolton since New Year's Eve.

"I was trying to escape drink," he said.

"I am off it now. I have been off it six days."

He now lives in temporary council accommodation and visits Queen Street for food and company.

"I am staying here to have a chat and a game of chess or Scrabble," he said.

Vaguely conscious that I was perhaps breaking the volunteer rules about asking questions, I found myself enquiring about his school days.

"I was told by school masters that I could have done well," he said.

But he was "smoking and drinking" and left before the exams for a job in a factory which he lost after an accident.

"It is a long time since I worked," he said.

"The longer I am sober, the more chance I have got."

He called out a greeting to Stephen, aged 48, who told me:

"It lovely, this place. The staff are great."

Stephen said he was an alcoholic and suffered from epilepsy. DAVE'S DISTURBANCE FOR THE COMFORTABLE THE driving force for the Queen Street project is Londoner Dave Bagley, a 32-year-old former chef.

A committed Christian, he first came to Bolton 10 years ago with an organisation called British Youth for Christ which was based in local churches.

A charitable organisation, Urban Outreach Bolton, was established in 1990 and the year after it launched a local housing scheme called STAY - short-term accommodation for young people.

He runs Urban Outreach from an office in the Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street with his wife Chris, a former teacher.

Winter Watch, which is one of several Urban Outreach projects, has proved to be a major success at a cost of something like £6,000.

The churches on board include St Luke's, St Peter's and St Margaret's, Halliwell, St George the Martyr, Daubhill, Vineyard, Manchester, St Andrew's, Johnson Fold, Smithills Chapel, Farnworth Evangelical Baptist, Westhoughton Parish Church, Barrow Bridge Mission, Bolton Pentecostal Church, Lostock Parish Church and Victoria Hall.

Supporting organisations include Bolton Housing Department, Bolton Social Services, Building Services, Peter Hunt Pies, C.R.A.S.H, Cannon Hygiene, Fort James, Life Share, ASDA, Staples, Heinz and Warburtons.

"We have about 180 volunteers from all denominations," Mr Bagley said.

"This has been a success, without a doubt."

The centre has attracted voluntary workers from all sections of the community.

"We have managing directors who come and stick their hands in the sink to do the washing-up," Mr Bagley said.

"I think this is the first time there has been anything like this in Bolton."

He said it was a non-confrontational environment where the people who came were regarded as guests.

While they were with them they were not causing trouble elsewhere.

At the moment the centre does not need any more volunteers, but Dave is always happy to hear from anybody who can provide financial and practical assistance.

The telephone number at his Victoria Hall office is Bolton 385848.

One of the messages on the board in the small administrative area in Queen Street seems to sum up the general philosophy:

"Disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.