Churches Unite to Offer Warmth and Hope Through Cardiff’s Winter Night Shelter

St German’s Church, Adamsdown, has reopened its Winter Night Shelter, offering safe, warm, and welcoming overnight accommodation every Saturday evening through to the end of March. The shelter forms part of a wider network of church‑based provision across Cardiff, ensuring support is available throughout the week for people experiencing homelessness.

St German’s first joined the Cardiff Churches Night Shelter initiative nine years ago, opening its doors one night a week to provide hospitality and dignity to those without a home. The programme was paused in 2020 following Covid‑19 guidance, but the need remained clear. When discussions began about restarting the shelter, the St German’s community immediately stepped forward, eager to resume this vital ministry.

The shelter relies on a strong network of partners, particularly volunteers from across the Roath and Cathays Ministry Area and other churches. Around 20 volunteers are needed each evening to prepare meals, set up sleeping spaces, and offer a warm welcome. Generous financial donations from individuals and community groups also help provide essential food supplies.

For guests, the shelter offers more than a bed for the night. They receive home‑cooked meals, a safe place to rest, and the reassurance of being welcomed without judgement. Volunteers have witnessed guests gain confidence, rebuild stability, and even secure employment thanks to the support and encouragement they receive.

For volunteers, the experience is equally meaningful. Many describe a deep sense of purpose in helping guests feel valued and safe, a stark contrast to the dangers of sleeping rough.

Evenings begin with volunteers preparing beds and dining areas, sharing fellowship, and taking a moment to pray before guests arrive. Guests are welcomed with tea, cake, and conversation before dinner. While no one is pressured to share their story, many choose to open up in their own time, creating moments of connection that stay with volunteers long after the night ends.

Volunteers recall many moving encounters — from supporting a guest facing homelessness after redundancy, to gently encouraging a distressed woman who eventually felt safe enough to speak with others. These experiences reinforce a simple truth: every guest is a person, not a statistic, and listening with compassion can make all the difference.

James Escott, a volunteer at the Shelter says, “For the volunteers the main impact is in knowing that what they are contributing is making a difference for our guests.

Instead of sleeping in a cardboard box in a doorway, where they could be abused and cold, the guests know that they are people of worth.

I believe that I get more from volunteering than I put in. Spiritually, mentally and physically it is a wonderful opportunity.

What more motivation is needed other than that the words of our Lord Jesus, “I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me’.”

Paul Booth, Diocesan Director of Mission, says, “Living with so much need surrounding us, it’s more important to engage with things outside our churches than ever before. I’m drawn to the symbolism of the Majestas in our Cathedral. The eyes of Jesus are not looking down at the people gathered for worship, but rather through the west window to the people who need Jesus too.

I love these words of Mother Teresa ‘Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.’

What a wonderfully practical way of following the commands of Jesus and demonstrate His love!”

At the heart of the Winter Night Shelter is a simple but profound truth: the Church is called to support, love, and be the hands of Jesus in the world. Through every meal prepared, every bed set out, and every conversation shared, volunteers and partner churches embody the Gospel in practical and transformative ways. This ministry continues to change lives — offering dignity, warmth, and hope to guests, while deepening the faith and compassion of those who serve.

Rev’d Canon Tim Jones, Director of Ministry and Discipleship, says “A huge well-done to the people of St Germans, and the other Christian churches in Cardiff who have undertaken this much needed ministry.

This kind of service isn’t just useful: it’s holy. God loves all his children, irrespective of their social status, and calls on everyone who can to help their neighbours in need.”

As St German’s and its partners carry this vital work forward through the winter months, prayers are asked for the Night Shelter’s guests, that they may find safety, confidence, and renewed strength; for the volunteers, that they may serve with patience, kindness, and resilience; and for all communities, that they may recognise Christ in the stranger and respond with open hearts.