A LANCASTER charity is asking local people to remember the homeless as Christmas approaches and temperatures plummet.

Lancaster Christmas Shelter will be running for its 19th year at St Thomas Church, Lancaster, throughout the festive season.

It aims to provide a safe, warm and friendly environ-ment for people living on the streets in the area.

And Lancaster Homeless Sction, the group behind th shelter, is urging people to spare a thought for those who have no homes to go to.

Donations including cash, clothes, sleeping bags, duvets and dried and tinned food are wanted as a matter of urgency. And volunteers are also needed to help out at the shelter.

A string of fund-raising activities are now taking place at supermarkets in the area to boost the group's funds.

Organisers say anyone who wants to do their own fund-raising can also chip in by calling either Ewen or Nigel on 01524-842008.

The Christmas Shelter opens on December 24 and will run through to December 29. After that, the day centre is open all year to offer help.

It's a whitewash claim

CAL Giles, one of the women behind the new It's our city' campaign, says the promise of consultation over the Canal Corridor North is a whitewash', because plans already exist for the site.

"I'm not saying the plans are already written in stone but they exist and this is being denied," says Ms Giles.

"We are not idiots. We believe that Centros will do a survey in town but the fact is they will be talking to shoppers and, when asked about better shop-ping outlets' they will say they approve."

Green city councillors also say a consultation is totally inadequate'.

Spokesman Cllr John White-legg, says: "This development is already taking shape and there has been no consultation with residents or businesses.

"Even worse there has been no open discussion with city centre retailers about the knock-on effect of development on city centre retailing."

He goes on: "They have not organised any public meetings and it is only down to the persistence of local residents that they have even been offered a meeting with just three residents."