We all want to be at home for the festive season. But some desperate youngsters in Bradford are still sleeping rough. Sarah Walsh met one family who offer teenagers in crisis a bed for the night.

JANET AND DONALD Peers find that their busy, comfortable household can easily absorb an extra young person for a night, even at crowded times like the Christmas break.

The couple, who have four children between them, are among many across the district who act as volunteer hosts for the Nightstop homeless charity.

As experienced parents of teenagers, they reckon they know what young people require - "the remote control for the television and endless cups of tea" - and are happy to take them in.

Even over the Christmas holiday period they find the room to offer a warm welcome to desperate young men and women who might otherwise be sleeping rough.

The Nightstop charity arranges emergency accommodation on a one-night-at-a-time basis with the help of volunteers like the Peers. But more people like them are always needed as demand for the service rises.

Janet, 49, runs her own business with husband Donald and also has a part-time job. She signed up as a Nightstop host four years ago and takes in one youngster a week, every Friday.

Her husband, who admits he was apprehensive at first, now says: "The young people are more frightened about coming here than we are of having them.

"They don't know what they are letting themselves in for."

He said the exercise had turned out to be much easier than he had imagined.

"We are quite used to having teenagers about - all they want is the remote control for the TV and endless cups of tea.

"There must be thousands of families in Bradford whose teenagers have now gone to university, who have a spare room."

The household becomes home for the night to a young person from 5.30pm on Fridays.

The visitors can take a bath, have a hot meal and are given a cosy bedroom where they have their own television. They are also able to wash clothes.

The next morning they are given breakfast and a packed lunch as well as the bus fare to wherever they are going next.

"The hardest part is kicking them out at nine o'clock the next morning when the weather's bad," Janet said.

She has a plan that usually works when young people prove to be withdrawn or uncommunicative.

"Some young people find it hard to relate to adults, so I tend to leave them in a room with my daughter Jenny, who's 13, for ten minutes. She can talk to anyone.

"They usually end up being roped into playing Scrabble," Janet said.

l Nightstop needs more volunteers. If you can help call (01274) 776888.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.