�3m revamp of Yarmouth Hostel is on schedule

WORK is progressing well on the �3m revamp of a homeless hostel in Great Yarmouth.

Building work began at the grade II-listed Bauleah House, in St Nicholas Road, in August last year and it is expected to be finished on target next year.

“We are on schedule and it is hoped the building work will finish in January or February next year,” said Gaynor Collin, business manager for Herring Housing Trust, which runs the hostel for single homeless people in the Great Yarmouth area.

Mrs Collin said the revamped hostel would have 31 beds instead of the original 26. There will be a large training area with an IT suite and a training kitchen, and also a high support unit to help people dealing with drug and alcohol issues.

“It will give us a lot more opportunities to help homeless people,” Mrs Collin said, adding that the new facilities would help the trust teach people new skills and help them back into work.

“We work with about 250 people a year who are homeless. We hope to support more people and help them break the cycle of homelessness.”

While the building work is continuing at Bauleah House, the hostel is temporarily based at Hall Quay in Great Yarmouth.

Herring House Trust is working with Broadland Housing Association and Great Yarmouth Borough Council on the project which is being funded by a grant of more than �2m from the Homes and Communities Agency.

Herring Housing Trust has also raised just under �500,000 for the work, including support from the Norfolk Drug and Alcohol Team, The Tudor Trust, The Garfield Weston Foundation, and the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation.

Bauleuh House was formerly a hotel until 1994 when it was converted into a hostel.