After a year keeping it to themselves, staff at Richmond’s only homeless hostel have been singing from the rooftops about winning a grant of nearly £1m.

The hostel, close to Richmond Circus and run by charity Single Persons Emergency Accommodation in Richmond (Spear), is set to close in September while it undergoes a £922,000 refurbishment.

Ed Tytherleigh, director of Spear, which has helped the borough’s homeless for 21 years, was told last year the charity was being given the cash from the places of change fund released by communities and local government – but had to ensure the good news travelled no further than staff while the project was arranged.

He said: “The vision was there but we had to go through planning and the process of working out the exact costs.

“We wanted to sing about it when we knew it was going to happen.”

That time has finally come and later this year the current six shared rooms that hold 12 people will be transformed into 14 single rooms, a kitchen and dining area and training rooms – with services moving to Kingston during the nine to 12-month build time.

Mr Tytherleigh added: “It is really exciting. It’s big news for Richmond’s social sector.

“It is a time of real change for the organisation.”

According to Mr Tytherleigh, Spear was awarded the funding because of its work helping rough sleepers build life skills and preparing them to take on a social housing tenancy.

The hostel will be named Penny Wade House - after Spear's first chairwoman, who planned and secured funding for the original hostel - and a fundraising appeal is due to be launched under her name.

Last year the charity found 76 people sleeping on the streets of Richmond but through its hostel and programmes the number doing so at any one time never rose above five.

In total, Spear resettled 311 people in 2008 – some were not sleeping rough but staying with friends.

But Mr Tytherleigh urged people to continue donating to the charity as the lump sum had been ring-fenced for the refurbishment project only.

Any member of the public who sees a homeless person on the streets can call Spear’s rough sleeper helpline on 020 8404 1481.