HOMELESS charities in Bath are working together this Christmas to get food and shelter to everyone sleeping rough in the city.

Cecil Weir, of local homeless charity Julian House, said: "Homelessness is a 365-day-a-year problem but this time of year it is brought into focus by the drop in temperature.

"In addition, Christmas brings to homeless people feelings of emotional distress as they are often separated from family and friends who are in other parts of the country."

Organisations which will be working with the homeless this Christmas are:

The Genesis Trust, a local Christian charity, has several projects lined up. Work kicks off on December 22 when volunteers from the group will be lining Walcot Street from 7pm every night to hand out free cups of coffee, soup and sandwiches to the homeless.

Also, Genesis Lunchbox will be offering low-cost lunches (50p, double portions £1) from St Michael's and St Paul's, opposite Waitrose, at 12.30pm.

This will be every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday over Christmas and the New Year, except December 27 and January 3.

The group will also be putting on a low-cost Sunday lunch (£1) at Walcot Methodist Church as normal at 12.30pm on December 23 and 30.

Julian House night shelter on Manvers Street is holding a free Christmas lunch on December 25 (time to be confirmed) for around 50 people as part of its round-the-clock work with the homeless. The night shelter will be open as usual at 8pm allowing in the first 18 people (15 male, three female) for £2 each. Admission includes a hot meal.

The centre is also open during the day from 10am-2.30pm for a chat and a hot drink.

Churches Together in Bath, the association of the city's churches, says that anybody who cannot get into the meal at Julian House can join their free Christmas meal at Kingswood School at Lansdown. The meal will begin at around 11.30am and will be served until 4.30pm.

People wishing to attend the meal, which also welcomes many elderly people from the Bath area, are recommended to obtain a ticket in advance. For tickets, see the contact panel, below.

The Salvation Army will be handing out food parcels and sleeping bags to those in need from the Salvation Army Citadel at Green Park Road. The group can also refer people to a hostel in Bristol.

It will be business as usual at the YMCA, opening every day of the holiday season. The premises on Broad Street have approximately 207 beds that cost £16 for a single, £14 shared (2-4 people) or £11 for dormitory accommodation. Breakfast is included but linen is £1.50 extra (visitors are advised to bring their own sleeping bags/blankets).

For tackling longer term homeless issues, an important service is offered by the housing wing of Bath & North East Somerset Council's housing options and advice service. Anybody who needs to speak to an officer for advice and assistance with housing issues can drop into their offices at Lewis House on Manvers Street or telephone them at any time.

The Drug and Homeless Initiative employs an outreach worker to speak to people on the streets and in hostels who are suffering from drug and alcohol problems. The group has links to B&NES housing schemes, can help find accommodation for their clients and places people who have kicked their habit in a hostel for up to nine months.

Youth group, Off the Record in Bath and Midsomer Norton, has an advocacy worker who can help people under 25 who visit them find accommodation.

Bath Self Help Group runs two hostels, Pathways, at Wells Road and the Bath Foyer in Twerton, which they can place clients into once referred by B&NES. The group also runs a Move On project, which people can enrol for via the council or by contacting the group direct.