Using a network of volunteer hosts who open up their spare room for a few nights each month, Bristol Nightstop provides safe temporary accommodation for young people facing homelessness.
Nightstop hosts are ordinary Bristolians doing something extraordinary – offering a warm room to stay in their own home, an evening meal, breakfast, support and compassion.
Bristol Nightstop hosts receive thorough training prior to hosting their first guest, attend workshops with other hosts, and have access to an on-call member of the Nighstop team for the duration of a stay.
“As a couple living in central Bristol, we increasingly realised how fortunate we are to have stability in our life and a place to live. I felt a need to do something practical. I saw an article about hosting for Nightstop in the national press and thought we’d give it a go.
Initial apprehension at having a stranger in our home soon disappeared. We quickly realised that, invariably, similar concerns were felt by the guest. It was also reassuring to know that the Nightstop team was on hand 24/7 if required, although this has never been needed.
We realised what little effort is actually necessary to make a real difference. If you have a spare room and can spare a few hours then you can host!”
– K & T, Nightstop hosts
Do you have a spare bedroom in your home? Are you interested in finding out more about hosting?