Take a look at a bus that has been converted into a refuge for the homeless

Twelve beds have been installed alongside a kitchen, shower, toilet and seating area to provide a refuge for those living on the streets.

The bus was bought by a volunteer-run group called HOPE (Helping Open People’s Eyes), after a fundraising campaign which saw donations from the community and businesses - and was in Blackwood on Saturday to allow the public to have a look.

Ian Smith and supporters with the HOPE bus for the homeless at ASDA in Blackwood. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk

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“Everyone has been marvellous,” said Ian Smith who runs HOPE.

“We had Nathan Jenkins from Valley Water just ring up and ask for our bank details.

“The next day, we had £2,500 from him. It was amazing.”

And Superior Style Home Improvements refitted the bus completely free of charge.

“It must have cost them around £10,000,” Mr Smith said.

“ASDA in Blackwood have also been fantastic and allowed us to do bag-packs and fundraisers.”

Ian Smith with the HOPE bus for the homeless at ASDA in Blackwood. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk

There are also cages for dogs, he explains.

“A lot of homeless people don’t like leaving their animals," he said. "They are their only companion and a lot of night shelters don’t allow dogs.”

But the bus isn’t just a place for the homeless to “sleep and forget about their problems”, said Joanna Nicholls, who also helps run HOPE.

The aim is to make the bus a gateway into the services that can help homeless people find jobs, financial support and homes.

They have also been in discussion with mental health charity MIND and local doctors and are hoping that the bus can also become a base for mental and physical wellbeing.

Ian Smith with the HOPE bus for the homeless at ASDA in Blackwood. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk

Mr Smith said he had been feeding the homeless from the boot of his car for four or five years.

“There are more and more people on the streets now, so I thought, ‘Let’s go one step further’.

“I saw a similar project in Bristol and it really inspired me.”

They hope the bus will be operational in the next few months – they need permission from local councils and police, but they’ve received positive feedback so far.

Mrs Nicholls said the “bus is just the start” for HOPE.