WITHOUT this place I would died, says Wayne Dookie who has been homeless since October.

He, like many others on the streets in Waltham Forest, goes to Branches day centre in Walthamstow for food and shelter.

A church charity, it has now been given permission to offer overnight accommodation.

The plans will end the nomadic existence of the night shelter, which had to move from church to church during the winter.

Wayne is extremely grateful to all the Branches volunteers, listing a long line of people who have made the centre in Meadow House, Forest Road, a success since it opened four years ago.

He reserves special praise for the manager of Waltham Forest Night Shelter, Peter Baldwin.

"I am very pleased and thankful to Peter for what he has done for us over Christmas and New Year.

"Without this place I would die. I am saying it is a lot of stress on homeless people to go to the library or Walthamstow market and sit down, and people are watching you with scorn.

"What can you do? I walk for miles and miles. I have human rights it is not right," he said.

Wayne has just started a detox programme at neighbouring Thorpe Coombe Hospital and is determined to give up alcohol.

People living near the centre are not so complimentary.

Some gardens will be overlooked by the first-floor conversion and residents claim a lack of consultation and fear disruption with swearing, drunkenness and litter they say will be caused by the late opening times.

Mr Baldwin is sensitive to the concerns raised.

Parts of the building which overlook neighbouring gardens will be offices only, and their windows will be obscured he says.

Entrance will be through secure gates and no one will be allowed to enter after 9pm.

Conditions of entry are also clear. Anyone who breaks the rules is out, he added.

"We do not want the night shelter to become a home. It is the first rung of the ladder off the streets.

"If anyone is here more than six months we are doing something seriously wrong.

"Last year we resettled about 30 people into other accommodation, and we expect that number to go up," he said.

Keith ended up on the streets after the break-up of his marriage and is living proof of the day centre's success. He now lives in a hostel and volunteers full time at Branches.

He said: "I have been in the same position as a lot of people here.

"If it wasn't for places like this, the majority of people would never get into housing."