A homeless charity forced to shut its Belfast drop-in centre following an arson attack is once again offering its services to vulnerable people after being offered a site for a new “support hub”.
The Welcome Organisation’s premises at Townsend Street was targeted in July when a stolen car was rammed into its shutters before being set alight.
The charity, which assists people with homelessness and addiction problems, described the incident - the second attack on the premises - as a “major setback” in their work.
One man was later arrested in connection with the incident and released on police bail.
Following the arson, graffiti appeared in the nearby Milford Close area threatening that any workmen carrying out repairs on the former Welcome Organisation premises “will be shot”.
Up to 60 people at a time were accessing the charity’s services at the former centre.
The charity soon confirmed it was permanently vacating the site, and its chairperson Jude Whyte apologised to the neighbouring community over anti-social behaviour linked to those who use the premises.
Now a new temporary home for the Welcome Organisation has been offered by the Salvation Army at Centenary House in Waring Street in the city centre.
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show, Mr Whyte said the new hub would have minimal impact as there was no traders or residents living in the immediate vicinity.
“We are not near or in a community, so that has taken that stress out,” he said, adding the community close to the previous premises had “valid reasons” for not wanting it nearby.
Speaking of the city’s homeless and addiction issues and the Townsend Street drop-in centre, he said: “If people are honest, we all care about what we see in Belfast, but we don’t want it in our garden or on our street corner, and I accept that, and I think that we have made our peace with the community - we have closed that part of our operation.”
Mr Whyte praised the Salvation Army for its help, describing the charitable organisation as the “bedrock of so many city centres”.
“They have given us a bespoke support hub,” he said, adding it was “a lot smaller than the one we had”, but was already operating.
“It’s warm, it’s clean, it has washing facilities, it has cooking facilities - it will help 15 to 20 people at a time.”
The Welcome Organisation is now looking for a larger, permanent home, Mr Whyte confirmed.
