MORE than three people a night, on average, have been prevented from rough sleeping this winter thanks to Glasgow’s Overnight Welcome Centre.

The service, operated by Glasgow City Mission at its base in the city centre, has helped hundreds of people since it opened for the winter on December 1.

The numbers include 184 people who were at risk of rough sleeping when they turned up at the centre.

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Another 18 were assisted to get home and 12 were helped to be accommodated with friends and family and one person is now in their own accommodation.

The centre has been open for 50 nights so far this winter and will remain open until March 31.

The OWC has replaced the Winter Night Shelter which used to operate near the Barras where people were put up overnight on mattresses on the floor of the Lodging House Mission hall.

Last year the service was in a small hotel outside the city centre and this year it has changed again, using several hotels and B&Bs as emergency accommodation.

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Now the service working with the council homelessness team has access to emergency accommodation across the city and works to get people in somewhere straight away.

The most it had in one night was 18 people needing support.

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Mission said: “We have had hundreds of interactions with guests accessing our service who were otherwise at risk of rough sleeping.

“We are happy to report that we have been able to offer a bed in a warm, safe and secure room to everybody who has needed one. Our day teams work tirelessly and constantly with those we have assisted, trying to secure long-term solutions.”

The team works with people to follow up on their case to get a long-term solution where possible.

The spokesperson added: “One guest who accessed our service now has their own tenancy and no longer requires emergency support.

“A massive thank you to all of our partners without whom this work would not be possible.”

Glasgow City Mission also operates programmes to help people get their lives back on track through its rehab pathways programme for addictions and accessing education and employment initiatives with local colleges.