Red Cross Arca d'Aixovall Shelter Opens with 68 Beds After €500K Investment

The Arca d'Aixovall shelter, managed by the Red Cross, has been fully operational for nearly eight weeks since welcoming its first residents in early November. Official inauguration took place late last month in the remodelled former Hotel Peralba building in Aixovall, following a near €500,000 investment that created 36 rooms for up to 68 people.

Jordi Ribes, the Red Cross director general, confirmed that all current users—individuals or families—were referred through the government's Social Affairs assistance programmes. The organisation does not select occupants itself. In its initial phase, the facility has focused on residents, though it aims to assist vulnerable people lacking residency in the Principat as well.

The shelter provides temporary housing and job support to help users regain employment and independence quickly. "When someone arrives at the Arca d'Aixovall, their goal must be to leave as soon as possible," Ribes said. Access criteria, set by agreement with authorities, target those at risk of housing exclusion or facing personal, family, or social barriers to integration.

Support goes beyond accommodation, featuring active guidance coordinated with public services and other groups. This includes psychological care and preparation for job interviews or workforce re-entry. Stays have no fixed time limits or contract restrictions, but the emphasis remains on achieving self-sufficiency through work.

During Christmas, users could visit family and friends, and the centre hosted a Christmas lunch on 24 December to address heightened seasonal needs among vulnerable groups.

Ribes noted the facility is not suited for permanent housing. "If we know someone can never re-enter the workforce, we must find a more appropriate resource," he said, adding that such arrangements fall outside the Red Cross's remit.

The project responds to rising vulnerabilities from housing shortages and growing inequalities, aiming to rebuild disrupted lives through comprehensive social care.