A FORMER pub is being hailed as a national example in the fight to end homelessness.
The Queens Arms in Newtown has been converted into 14-bed sheltered accommodation.
It now supports people experiencing homelessness with a safe place to stay and access to critical support services.
Councillor Susan Gambles, portfolio holder for housing and welfare at Wigan Council, said: "There are some fantastic local partners that work collectively to support people at risk of homelessness, and we are so pleased to have an award-winning, nationally recognised organisation like The Brick in our borough.
"What comes across very strongly at their Queens Arms hub is that people are thriving there; they are positive, moving forward, and believing in themselves, and I think that is down to the facilities, the camaraderie, and the staff who care very deeply.
"This is the template that we should be using across the country, so we will continue championing these services and requesting more funding to be able to do even more like this."
The project was delivered in partnership with Wigan Council and homelessness charity The Brick.
It offers residents not only accommodation but also access to health services, training, and employment opportunities.
Dean Paul, a resident at the Queens Arms, said the support he has received has been life-changing.
Mr Paul said: "I was homeless for six months and my life was in turmoil.
"I didn’t know where to turn other than go to The Brick, but it’s through this help that I now feel so much better.
"I can see light at the end of the tunnel and that’s because of the people here and the staff who try to help as much as they can to get me where I want to be.
"I’m just so happy to be in this place and have the opportunity to tell my story to other people who can see that this does work."
Keely Dalfen, CEO of The Brick, believes the project offers a model for wider change.
Ms Dalfen said: "The supported accommodation at the Queens Arms has come from this courageousness; it has developed into not just a home for people in crisis, but a place with wrap around support, a sense of belonging, and a community, and I think that this will become a blueprint on how to deliver supported accommodation in the future."
The success of the project comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to end rough sleeping.
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