What is CENS? Colchester Engagement & Next Steps (CENS), formerly known as the Colchester Emergency Night Shelter, is a registered charity which has been supporting the homeless for over 35 years, providing emergency accommodation and help to those most in need across Essex and Suffolk.

We now offer so much more than just a bed and a meal – from housing and health to learning and support, we aim to help the homeless move on to permanent, independent living. We believe that having a home is a basic human right, and since opening, we have helped hundreds of people make a fresh start in their lives. Unfortunately, at the start of the pandemic we were forced to close, but in January 2021 we underwent a major refurbishment and are now open once more, with some major improvements in place.