Charity welcomes top police boss

Michael Lane, Hampshire’s police and crime commissioner, was at the Salvation Army’s Catherine Booth House Lifehouse in St Paul’s Road, Southsea.

The charity was showing the work it does with vulnerable families.

Its centre offers temporary accommodation and housing support for couples with children and single-parent families.

Mr Lane said: ‘I was delighted to visit Catherine Booth House in Portsmouth, to meet staff, to see the excellent work they are doing, and to understand the real experiences of vulnerable people affected by homelessness, in their voices.’

Gillian Suckley, service manager added: ‘The staff and service users at Catherine Booth House were proud to show Mr Lane the work that we do and the service that we provide to support local families.’

The centre works with Portsmouth City Council.

It aims to give people skills to cope with a tenancy.

A service user, who did not want to be named, said: ‘Living in Catherine Booth House has given us the skills to be able to live on our own, independently.

‘We are so thankful for everything that has happened to get us to where we are now, we are looking towards the future and seeing what that will bring.’