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A charitable trust has been set up by Mercy Sister, Marcellin Wilson, to provide facilities in Wellington for homeless women who are at risk.
Sister Marcellin said she first became aware of the need in 2010 when she received a call from the Wellington Central Police Station requesting accommodation for two women, 20 and 24, who had been evicted from their home.
She said the police officer who called had made a considerable effort to find somewhere for the women to stay but had been unsuccessful.The police officer told Marcellin that other people were telling her that efforts to find emergency accommodation would fail and it was well known that there was only one residence in Wellington and it was overflowing.
As a result of this phone call Marcellin called together representatives of all the Women’s Religious Orders in Welllington. At this meeting all the sisters supported the proposal to investigate the need for an emergency accommodation facility.
A committee was formed to investigate the situation. At the end of the investigation it was agreed to proceed with the task of ‘providing a suitable residence for emergency accommodation for homeless women in Wellington’ and a Charitable trust was established
The Trust received a number of donations and has the promise of more. It is now pursuing the acquisition of a suitable house at a peppercorn rental if possible.
In an interview in 2010 Mt Victoria Wellington Women’s Boarding House manager Carol Ronayne said about 10 women slept rough around Wellington each night during summer.
Source
- Sister Marcellin Wilson
- Image: Unity Centre Glasgow
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