Help the Homeless Rochdale

Help the Homeless Rochdale - Liz Goodall, Denise Ali, Michele Morgan and Gail Hunter

To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the release of the BBC film Cathy Come Home, the homelessness charity Shelter released new statistics that show that the amount of people who are homeless in the UK is at its highest level in five years.

Help the Homeless Rochdale was started by Paul Brooks approximately 12 months ago, when he would drive around Rochdale on his motorbike making tea for the homeless.

Mr Brooks was well versed in homelessness having spent three years on the streets himself. As the amount of people he was seeing began to grow he decided to ask for donations of clothing and food.

Volunteers cook, collect donations and meet at Rochdale Town hall every Sunday afternoon between 2-4pm in order to give something back to the homeless where numbers have grown from seven people on the first Sunday to over fifty last week.

With previous experience of working with the homeless and backgrounds in local industry the group can also offer real advice as well as practical help.

The plans for the future include finding an indoor space from which to run the group. An indoor venue would provide shelter for the homeless during the coming winter and a place to store the increasing amount of donations. The group is currently in discussions with St Chad's Rochdale for such a space and is awaiting a decision from the church council later this month. They are also looking towards fundraising events in order to gain valuable funds to buy much needed sleeping bags and tents.

If you think you can help in any way the group is always looking for tea, coffee, long life milk, clothing, hygiene items, tents and sleeping bags or if you would like to help with a fundraising event, pop down to the Town Hall Sundays 2.00-4.00pm.