A WORKER at Belfast's only hostel for homeless women has said its threatened closure has caused "horrendous" anxiety for vulnerable residents - who regard staff as "the only family they have".
Emma McCann, an employee of Regina Coeli House in the west of the city, will today attend an emergency council meeting to help secure the future of the historic facility which was established in 1935.
On Friday she and five other staff were suspended - but revealed they "haven't left the building" out of concern for its "guests" requiring addiction and mental health support.
Ms McCann also said they have been overwhelmed by donations from women who lived in the hostel and credited it with saving their lives.
"The amount of previous guests who have approached us has been unbelievable. They have been in tears, saying they wouldn't be here without Regina Coeli," she told The Irish News.
"We had a 84-year-old woman who told us it saved her life twice from her abusive husband."
Management announced last week the building must close as it is in need of £500,000 repairs.
On Friday, the hostel's trustees released a statement expressing their "dismay" at "the actions relating to the (staff) sit-in and associated protests and the impact this has had on vulnerable adults in what were previously secure premises”.
Funded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive through a Supporting People programme, a house was offered by the executive to the hostel's three residents on Friday.
However, Ms McCann claimed there was no staff support so the women declined the offer.
"You cannot leave these vulnerable women alone with no supervision or support, especially in relation to access to medication. I would be concerned about the outcome," Ms McCann added.
"Staff were suspended on Friday but we haven't left the building, we've been looking after the girls. We've been giving them their medication, doing our hourly checks on them, feeding them and supporting them.
"The maximum stay is two years but we have had girls stay for four years. Most of them don't want to leave because the staff are the only family they have. When the girls do move on it's like saying cheerio to one of your kids, it's hard.
"We have women who are trafficked, who are from all walks of life. It would be devastating if it closed. It's the only women's hostel that deals with addiction and dual diagnosis of mental health and addiction. These women cannot be around men. All the hostels in Northern Ireland are mixed.
"There is a duty of care to them. The girls mean more than our jobs and more than money."
The facility is owned by the Legion of Mary and run by a management team staffed by volunteers.
Martin Dummigan, vice chairman of the Regina Coeli management committee, said the reasons for closure had been "fully explained in public and there's no hidden agenda".
He added that the Housing Executive was working at "resettling all the residents".
A petition has been organised by the Unite trade union to reverse the closure decision while SDLP Belfast City councillor Brian Heading has called for a special meeting to save the "vital refuge" for women. It will take place at 4pm today.
