A HIGH street hub for homeless people is expected to open in the new year to help rough sleepers break the cycle of 'entrenched homelessness’.

Social inclusion charity P3 plans to open the community hub, called Navigator, in a retail unit in Slough High Street in January after winning a £147,000 government grant.

The cash, awarded as part of the No Second Night Out (NSNO) project, will fund three workers to be based at the 'one-stop shop’ for rough sleepers to access the services that can help them get off the street, including IT courses and employment support.

Amy Delisser, operations manager in housing and community based support in London and the South East, said: “We want to make a positive difference to their lives. It is about trying to encourage rough sleepers to maximise their potential and to encourage people to get on to benefits, find accommodation and get a job.

“This is helping people get out of that cycle of entrenched homelessness. It can happen to anybody. If a person spends one night sleeping rough on the streets, they shouldn’t have a second one.” The hub, plans for which were revealed by The Observer last week, will act as a central base for the charity. It will aim to develop a coordinated and multi-agency response for newly homeless people.

It also wants to identify emergency bed placements and other suitable services by using partners including from the voluntary sector.

The charity, which has supported vulnerable people across the UK for 40 years, also plans to set up a social enterprise café to generate income and offer training opportunities for rough sleepers. This is not expected to be up and running until later next year.

The one-year grant came from the £20m Homelessness Transition Fund administered by Homeless Link and funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Grants across the UK have helped charities and voluntary groups reach out to more than 14,500 people.