Food Story
Homeless Support Project: A ‘life-saving’ charity supporting people in Wigan & Leigh
Food Story
Nicola is, rightly, very proud of herself. Everyone has been raving about the fresh vegetable soup that she’s made from scratch for the first time. The soup was served with sandwiches as part of the weekend food offer at Homeless Support Project (HSP) Leigh where, as a volunteer, Nicola’s running the show.
This may not sound remarkable, but Nicola has lived experience of needing the support HSP offers. A year ago, she says, she would have been too nervous to share her story. Nicola says HSP “saved my life”. She explains that she was homeless but she’s stopped taking drugs and her mental health is now much better.
Founded by husband-and-wife team, Lynn and Paul, with support from seven staff and 12 volunteers, HSP has been running for over a decade. The charity pledges to ‘work towards a brighter future for those struggling and in need, and also anyone who is homeless or at risk of homelessness in the Wigan & Leigh district’.
Using food from FareShare Greater Manchester and locally sourced donations, HSP offers a free breakfast and evening meal every weekday, with soup and a sandwich over the weekend. They are seeing between 30 to 40 people each day. This figure is increasing at around ten percent each week, particularly when the weather gets colder.
Lynn tells us that she expects the team to sit and eat with people visiting the project. She wants staff and volunteers to build trusted relationships. This helps understanding about what help their guests need, as well as offering a service that is empathetic and dignified.
The HSP team are fierce advocates for people experiencing homelessness locally and fight for them on all fronts. The charity works closely with other professionals, and in the offices above the café, there’s a range of practical support services on offer. Guests can get help with benefits and housing advice, probation services and health clinics.
Alongside the very practical services, there is a great warmth for the guests at HSP, especially at special times of the year. Christmas dinner is served to anyone who wants it and last year, the team was expecting around 60 guests, all of whom were to receive a shoebox of goodies including toiletries, socks and chocolate treats.
The weekly bingo session is highlight of the week for many – none more so than 80-year-old Iris who has become a grandmother figure at the hub. Iris turned up for bingo a year ago, not realising what HSP was about and is still going! Before coming to HSP, Iris was scared of the people she saw on the streets of Leigh, but now when they see her they offer to carry her shopping. Iris provides a much-needed dose of love and normality and she gets love and company in return.
It’s impossible to adequately convey the breadth of the work that Homeless Support Project does, but it’s co-founder, Lynn sums it up; “where would they be if they weren’t here? It’s heartbreaking.”
Learn more about Homeless Support Project, Leigh, here. If you are from an organisation or charity supporting your community with food and are interested in joining our Community Food Membership, like Homeless Support Project, you can find out more here.
