A TIME capsule is being prepared to be buried among the foundations of a new homeless hostel.

Branches homeless shelter in Forest Road, Walthamstow, is being rebuilt as a 30-bedroom hostel and today representatives from the charity and council visited the site to celebrate the foundations being laid.

A time capsule has been prepared by the charity with drawings and a poem written by a service user and will continue to be added to throughout the build.

Branches assistant chief executive, Sue Chadwick, said: “It would be lovely if we could get items from the community and from schools, so it is not just about where we are now, but where the whole community is in 2010.”

The previous building was demolished and a new one is being built using a £2.5million Government grant.

Ms Chadwick said the new building will offer more education and training services than the previous centre in the hope users will stay longer to resolve their problems and avoid the “revolving door” of homelessness.

She said: “We want to motivate people who come and to help turn their lives around.

“We are so grateful to Christian Action For Housing and to Waltham Forest Council and our supporters, who have all helped us to get to this stage. It is a very exciting year for us.”

Current users of the shelter are staying at a building in Langthorne Road, Leytonstone, until the new building is completed at the end of the year.

Today's event was attended by Branches chief executive Peter Baldwin, Sue Chadwick, chair of Branches trustees Keith Everitt, cabinet member for housing Marie Pye, Waltham Forest Mayor Cllr Anna Mbachu, Cllr Sheila Smith-Pryor and representatives from the building's architects and construction companies.

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