The Shelter MK

Milton Keynes community supports charity relaunch to unveil The Shelter MK

This half-term, The Bus Shelter MK relaunches as The Shelter MK at Midsummer Place – bringing a life-size replica sleeping pod to the heart of the city where the charity first launched its double-decker bus in 2017

From Saturday 25 October to Sunday 2 November, The Shelter MK team will bring in a replica sleeping pod, based opposite Waterstones and The Horizon Radio booth at Midsummer Place. Visitors will be able to look inside the life-sized model ‘bedroom’, similar to the rooms that the charity offers people experiencing homelessness at its permanent George House location in Stantonbury.

On Tuesday 28 October at 10am, The Shelter MK will officially launch the evolved charity with a small ceremony at the bandstand in Midsummer Place to unveil its new name, brand image and core message: Hope. Stability. Future. Everyone is invited to attend.

Pam Williams, Chair of The Shelter MK, said: “This is an exciting chapter in our transition from The Bus Shelter MK. We’re excited to change our name to The Shelter MK and bring our charity to the forefront of people’s minds with a new look and feel that has the people we support at its heart.

“The journey from our beloved bus to converted shipping containers at George House, Stantonbury, is a powerful story and we’re excited to share this with the public during half term thanks to a beautifully produced video from students at MK College.”

MK College media production students have been led by tutor Luke Sheehan. He said: “Our students have been so excited to be involved with such a worthwhile project. They’ve come up with some great ideas, and we’ll all be proud to see their work at Midsummer Place and used by the charity afterwards.”

It costs The Shelter MK £300,000 a year to run and it relies solely on the support and generosity of the public, and again Midsummer Place has pledged to support the charity.

Kirsty McGiff, Midsummer Place Marketing Manager and supporter of both launches for the charity, said: “The launch of The Bus Shelter MK was a proud moment for myself and Midsummer Place and we’re truly honoured to support this wonderful charity once again as they transition to become The Shelter MK.”

Where it started:

In 2017, The Bus Shelter MK was launched in Midsummer Place with the unveiling of a former tour bus - used by singer Robbie Williams – that became the charity’s accommodation for street homeless people. That launch captured the imagination of Milton Keynes, raising more than £40,000 in the first six months through community donations and the shopping centre’s financial support.

When Covid struck in 2020, the bus had to be retired, and the charity instead transformed shipping containers into sleeping pods and a living space at their George House shelter in Stantonbury.

Since opening, The Bus Shelter MK has provided a temporary home to more than 300 guests across George House and 21 move-on beds, offering not just somewhere to sleep but the essentials that help people take steps forward: hot meals, showers, clean clothes, a safe space to rest and recover, and one-to-one support to get back into work and their own home.

Residents are known as ‘guests’, and they have described the pods as “the difference between hell and heaven” and “somewhere to put my head and call home.” The Bus Shelter MK has transformed the lives of hundreds of people.

One former guest said: “I really want to come back to George House as a volunteer. The people that get taken in are often broken apart and their lives torn to shreds. I’ve spoken to individuals there when I’ve been back for Christmas and BBQs and said, ‘You’re in the right place. These ‘mums’ in here will help you.”

Local agency, Yellowyoyo, worked with The Shelter MK team and guests to develop the new name and Hope. Stability. Future. strapline, while the charity’s new storytelling style has been developed by local brand consultant, Natalie Morten-Spencer, who spent a week at George House listening to guests and staff.

The message for the relaunch is “No more bus. Even more heart.” The charity says this reflects the move to The Shelter MK and return to Midsummer Place. It shows the spirit of the MK community as well as the passion of the team at The Shelter MK and the guests themselves.

Further information about The Shelter MK can be found at www.thesheltermk.org