The Shower Bus ceased offering its shower service in late March in response to COVID-19, but it expanded its role in the past few weeks to offer hand washing facilities to people visiting the soup bus.

One Humanity Shower Bus committee president Fiona (who asked her surname not to be published) said the service was expanded to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Many of the agencies who support people experiencing homelessness are struggling to continue their usual services," she said.

"People using the soup bus had no where to go for hand washing during the day."

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Fiona said people who had used the hand washing service in the past few weeks had also been requesting to be able to have a shower.

She said the shower bus was able to recommence the shower service this week as the organisation was able to access protective equipment and organised professional cleaning.

"At the moment, we are providing a service people wouldn't be able to access otherwise," Fiona said.

"This is something small we can help out with.

"If you need us we're here. Even if it is for a cup of tea and an ear."

The soup bus offers meals to people in need in the evenings from Sunday to Thursday near the corner of Armstrong Street and Eyre Street.

The shower bus will continue to offer a hand washing service on those nights, but will also offer a free shower service on Monday and Thursday night.

One Humanity Shower Bus committee representative Constantine Osuchukwu said people's experiences of poverty and hardship were exacerbated during times of crisis.

"In moments of crisis there is always a danger and an opportunity," he said.

"The danger is the poorer will get poorer and the marginalised will become more marginalised.

"But there is also an opportunity in every crisis and this is the ability for us to work together, like the soup bus and the shower bus, to help others.

"We have to use this opportunity to make sure the danger is addressed. Let's not be indifferent to those who are poor and marginalised.

"Our society encourages us to sometimes not see the poor. If there is anything we can learn from this it is we are in the boat of life together."

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