But that has now changed, thanks to a project between Bendigo Baptist Community Care's MADCOW initiative, Haven; Home, Safe and the City of Greater Bendigo.

Every Monday and Thursday afternoon at 3pm, the shower block at the Tom Flood Sports Centre will open.

The showers are cleaned and managed by MADCOW members, while Haven; Home, Safe pays them to do so.

Bendigo Baptist Community Care's Matt Parkinson said MADCOW and Haven; Home, Safe had showers available for use at their centres, but the advent of the pandemic forced their closure.

After that, they had to find another way to give people experiencing homelessness access to showers.

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Mr Parkinson said finding shower facilities that were central, close to the CBD, was important.

MADCOW cleaners will clean and disinfect each shower after every single use, to protect those who use the showers and minimise the risk of COVID-19.

Members of the Bendigo Baptist Church have sewn protective gowns for MADCOW cleaners to wear while providing the service.

Mr Parkinson said the showers helped give people who were homeless a sense of dignity.

"Dignity is huge... And really, just showing someone cares," he said.

Mr Parkinson said the coronavirus crisis had taken away many of the places people experiencing homelessness went for support or simply somewhere to see a friendly face.

MADCOW used to have some people attend regularly for showers, he said, and since the closure of its facilities, many had gone without for weeks.

MADCOW continues to provide hot, ready-to-eat meals every day for those who are homeless from its Hargreaves Street centre.