A SANCTUARY for Newport’s homeless is on the hunt for a new home after being told it must leave its current church base.

The Olive Branch Day Centre has operated at Bethel Community Church, offering food, refuge, clothes, showers and safe storage to vulnerable people, for seven years.

But was recently told it will have to move as “it is no longer part of the churches vision”.

Minister and chairman for Bethel Community Church, Andrew Cleverly, said that “the heart of the church is not in (the project) anymore”.

The community church also hosts other projects tackling human trafficking and helping refugees, and has given the Olive Branch a six-month grace period to find another location.

Olive Branch manager Alison Hawker said she was keen to “turn a negative around into a positive".

“The day centre provides a place of safety for the homeless to take them off the streets and give them a feeling of self-worth and hope”, she said.

“A number of our guests are now volunteering at the centre themselves and this builds their self-esteem, being able to give something back to the community.”

Deanne, who declined to give her surname, became homeless in 2013 when she couldn’t pay bedroom tax and now she volunteers at the centre, helping others in similar situations.

She said: “I’m not 100 per cent where I want to be right now but the centre provides someone to talk to, food and shelter and if it wasn’t for its work I wouldn’t be here today.

“Being on the streets was frightening as a vulnerable woman and I never really settled anywhere because I would have men approach.

“The centre helps you regain your confidence and self-esteem, it’s devastating it has to move. I have had a lot of positive outcomes from the Olive Branch and I want people to know this.”

Minister and chairman for Bethel Community Church, Andrew Cleverly said: "At the moment we just don’t feel that the project is part of our long term vision and we are looking to go in other directions.

“All the funding we receive goes to the salary of the manager of the centre but everything else is resourced and financed from the church.

“Charities are not like businesses. Funding comes and funding goes. We need to be accountable to the church and if there is no engagement we need to ask why and do something else.”

Bethel Community Church has also stated it will support the centre and its volunteers in their appeal to find a new venue.

Mrs Hawker is currently approaching homeless charities in the area for advice on the Olive Branch’s next steps.

For more information, visit: www.bethelnewport.co.uk/olivebranch/