A project run by Church Army is partnering with homelessness charity Crisis to provide shelter for women who would otherwise be sleeping rough this Christmas, as well as additional support to help them rebuild their lives in the New Year. 

The Marylebone Project offers specialist women-only accommodation in London that gives women a private room with their own front door as well as food and cooking supplies, clothing, showers and laundry facilities.

The centre also offers women counselling, immigration support, and drug and alcohol services.

Women come to the centre from a range of backgrounds, including domestic abuse, human trafficking and drug or alcohol abuse. 

From this week until the end of the winter period, the partnership with Crisis will offer individual, one-to-one on-site support for 20 women at the centre. 

Crisis called it a "significant development" that it hoped would have a "meaningful impact on ending rough sleeping for women in London". 

Juliet Mountford, Director of Client Services at Crisis, said, "This Christmas, although we will continue to support women in our day centres, hotels and year-round services, we're pleased to be partnering with the Marylebone Project to also offer women access to specialist services and longer-term support.

"Through working together to offer intensive, individual support in a women-only environment, we hope we can support women rough sleeping in London to rebuild their lives beyond homelessness."

Amy Hull, Executive Manager, Marylebone Project, said, "Women experiencing homelessness face unique and complex issues and for over 90 years we've been addressing these needs at our project.

"We've seen women rebuild their lives, with 95% of women resettled through our move on programme maintaining their tenancy for at least a year, and we are pleased to partner with Crisis to provide even more women with life-changing support and care this winter."