VOLUNTEERS who run emergency accommodation for rough sleepers in Newport are looking for more help and funding.

Newport Night Shelter, which has been run every year since it started in 2009, is based at 14 churches in the city and offers a bed for people who do not have one.

It will start to run its winter operation from the end of this month and will continue until the end of March.

Seven churches operate the service for two months and then the other seven churches take over.

The charity has a bank of around 350 volunteers across the city and is run by two co-ordinators. It helped 98 people last year, who were referred to the charity.

But they are looking to finance a van to move bedding around to different churches.

One of the coordinators, Stewart Johnson, said: “We’ve got to book all the referrals in, so we’ve got to transport the bedding round; we’ve got to go to meetings, replace air beds and bedding.

“We also help our guests look for accommodation. We’ve had guests who have been trafficked here. The biggest cause of referral is relationship breakdown.”

He said the charity helps anyone, regardless of their circumstances. Last year the charity helped a man who was stranded in Newport after he graduated from university and his relationship had broken down to repatriate back to his home country in South America.

For more information on the night shelter, phone Caroline on 01633 263235.