A PIONEERING project to help single soldiers make the transition back to Civvy Street is celebrating its first anniversary by beating its own targets.

The Single Persons Accommodation Centre for Ex-Services - Spaces - was set up a year ago at Catterick Garrison and was opened by Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.

The project followed the publication of Government research which suggested almost one in four people sleeping rough on the streets were former soldiers, sailors and airmen.

The centre acts as an accommodation placement ag-ency for single personnel about to leave the forces, and its original target was to help 400 soldiers over 18 months.

However, it has now already exceeded that target, almost six months ahead of schedule.

And, in a new initiative, it is to open its own accommodation for vulnerable ex-services people in neighbouring Richmond next summer in the form of 13 self-contained flats.

Funded by the Government's Rough Sleepers' Unit, the Spaces project is run by the English Churches Housing Group in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, and focuses on preventative work and early involvement with members of the forces, prior to their discharge.

One of the driving forces behind the scheme, project manager Trevor Morris, himself served for 23 years in the Army. "We've had this target to reach since we opened last October, but I never thought we'd be tearing it up so early," he said yesterday.

"Single ex-service people can have problems accessing appropriate accommodation when they leave, and because they are not seen as a priority for housing help they can literally find themselves on the street.

"We always knew there was a big need for our services, but this proves the point. We'll now have to decide what our next target will be."

Spaces will expand into Richmond next summer with the opening of the flats in a property bought with cash from the Housing Corporation and further support from the Church Housing Trust charity