Dozens of rough sleepers fed on Christmas Eve thanks to Northampton homeless charity's 'big breakfast'

Charity volunteers fed dozens of rough sleepers in Northampton on Christmas Eve thanks at its ‘big breakfast’ event.

The event in Abington Street ‘went down a storm’, according to the organisers, homeless charity Project 16:15.

Stan Robertson, CEO of Project 16:15, said: “We had an amazing morning on Christmas Eve. Our big breakfast went down a storm, thanks to all the amazing volunteers who came out and made it all happen.

“We distributed all 15 sleep pods purchased for us by Barry Goss; these have been an awesome addition to the equipment we have been handing out since 2018 across Northamptonshire.

“We also had a number of mobile phones with additional charging packs, gifted by Chris York, our stalwart supporter from Unite The Union Northants Central Branch, who has been backing us for five years now. Mobile phones are a lifeline to the street community, so please, if you have upgraded or have any working phones sitting in drawers, do consider donating them to us.

“We also distributed tents, blankets, socks, gloves, hats, and a variety of head torches, also gifted to us from one of our regular supporters.

“A massive thank you also to Waitrose & Partners in Kings Heath for the donation we received last month, which enabled us to improve our cooking grills, and to Glenda Blackwell for putting us forward for the grant.

“Over the coming year, we will be moving even further into the arena of poverty and street support, with new teams, new, and as always, unique projects, with the aim of reaching even more individuals across our community with the message, 'You are worth enough for us to come’.”

Stan, who has been running Project 16:15 for six years, said he had been recently weighing up the pros and cons of continuing his work due to challenges and unwarranted attacks.

Stan said: “However, the more I looked back at how much this charity and all those who have played a part in everything it stands for have brought about such change in people's lives, the more I realised that quitting was not, and never has been, an option, regardless of how fierce the storm. So instead, we repair the ship, replenish the crew, refuel, restock, and push on, doing what we do, bigger, better, and with more passion than ever before."

Added to the list of trustees on the charity include: Conservative councillor Sam Rumens (Kingsthorpe south ward), Craig Lewis, Chris Richens, Tracey Gardner and Helen Stacey.