CUSTOMERS and staff from Farnham Community Group, Surrey Choices and The Woodlarks Centre, Farnham, have joined forces to help the homeless.

The idea originated from a member of the Farnham Community Group, Yvonne. She has a mild learning disability and is supported by the group to gain independence and develop new skills.

Yvonne specifically enjoys helping other people and after seeing homeless people on the streets knew she wanted to help.

She said: “Isn’t there anything we can do? This could happen to any of us.

“Whenever I go to Guildford I see the homeless. They wear the same clothes over and over.

“Some of them are pensioners. One was a female of my age and I thought ‘that could be me’.

“I don’t like the thought of them being out in the cold at their age. You can always see they need money for food.”

Farnham Community Group researched the best way to help homeless people and decided to support the Riverside Care charity which provide accommodation and support for homeless people in the Guildford area.

Together with people who attend The Woodlarks Centre, a local disability centre, they gathered vital items for The Riverside Charity to distribute to the homeless, including toiletries, clothing and food. Altogether they gathered more than 40 boxes of donated goods.

Luca Trivellone from Riverside’s Vaughan House, which provides accommodation for homeless people, said: “I would like to thank them for their kind donations. Our residents have been collecting the clothes and distributing it among the residents who needed it the most.

“On behalf of Vaughan House staff and residents, we thank them very much for their kindness.”

Julie West, activities co-ordinator at The Woodlarks Centre said: “We’d like to say thank you very much to the people of Farnham who supported this project.”

To make a donation to the project, call Vaughan House on 01483 505704.