British football club Crystal Palace FC will turn part of its stadium in London into a space able to host up to 10 homeless people.
The Premier League club has offered part of Selhurst Park stadium as an emergency shelter for rough sleepers following a recent drop in temperatures in the UK.
Councillor Alison Butler said to the BBC that Crystal Palace was “setting a standard for other clubs to follow”. She also added: “Freezing temperatures are a particular safety risk for rough sleepers and this is a wonderful gesture by Crystal Palace for helping us reduce that risk.”
Croydon Council, who helped set the shelter, explained that homeless people housed at the stadium will also be given a hot meal, breakfast and washing facilities.
Crystal Palace chief executive Phil Alexander said the club wanted to “be a force in the community” and told the BBC: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Croydon Council and their partner agencies to ensure that rough sleepers can find an emergency shelter in the event of severe winter weather.”
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