Colchester Night Shelter faces an uncertain financial future following closure of April Centre

The April Centre, which had premises in Middleborough, shut on Thursday and is believed to have gone into administration.

The night shelter is a separate charity, but worked closely with the centre to find home for clients.

The shelter receives funding from the Government’s Supporting People scheme, based on how many people it successfully finds stable long-term accommodation for.

The majority of its residents found places through the April Centre. Marina Woodrow, manager, said: "It is an awful loss the centre has closed, but the impact it will have on the night shelter is massive.

"We relied heavily on the centre for move-on accommodation. It was the last resort for a lot of our residents."

The Night Shelter hopes to learn more from Colchester Council this week and since the April Centre announcement, the shelter has been contacted by many tenants worried about their future.

Many have been sent eviction notices. MsWoodrow is advising people to stay in their properties and seek council advice.

She said: “We don’t want the tenants to panic. The night shelter is running at full capacity, but we are happy to lend support to people who need advice. Hopefully, the council and other agencies will minimise the impact.”